


Born To Love

by princessalie72 (orphan_account)



Category: Britney Spears (Musician), JC Chasez - Fandom, Justin Timberlake - Fandom, NSYNC, Pop Music RPF, boybands - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-19
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-01-25 16:19:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 53
Words: 44,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1654781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/princessalie72
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lily and Josh share everything. Same birthday. Same interests. But this all changes when Josh get's the opportunity of a lifetime.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> TWO SOULS WITH BUT A SINGLE THOUGHT,   
> TWO HEARTS THAT BEAT AS ONE"   
> John Keats 
> 
> PROLOUGE 
> 
> _"These two are it." The woman looking into the big pool of water that was in the copper bowl turned to the man that just spoke. "Are you sure? We cannot afford to be wrong again."_
> 
> _The man looked into the pool. He watched as the nurses checked the vital signs of the two newborn babies. He looked back at the woman next to him. "I know we can't be wrong again. This is our last chance so it has to be right."_
> 
> _The look back down at the two babies. The two children were in perfect health. The man and woman breathed a sigh of relief._
> 
> _The woman and him were in charge of finding two people perfect for each other. Two people who could love each other forever and without selfishness._
> 
> _This was their last chance. The powers that be told them if they failed again human would live a life devoid of any love at all. The powers had given humans the gift of love and the wasted it._
> 
> _They turned it into something to be bought and sold. Love was something people abused and misused. The Powers have had enough._
> 
> _They gave the man and woman standing by the pool the task of trying to find two people to love each other unselfishly, without abuse, cheating, yelling or any of the things that humans put with their versions of love._
> 
> _They had failed at every turn. The people they had chosen always squandered their gift. This time they decided to try a different way of going about it._
> 
> _They chose two new souls. The souls of young children. Who at an early age knew no selfishness. They chose these on the hopes that the two could grow and love each other perfectly._
> 
> _If not, the human race was doomed. The man by the pool sighed deeply and looked at the woman next to him. "This has to work. It just has to."_
> 
> _The man and woman look back down into the pool so see the parents holding the babies. The nurses were filling out the birth certificates. The man put his hand over the water to manipulate it to get a closer look. To see what the names are of the human race's last chance._
> 
> _The man and woman read the names on the certificates. Joshua Scott Chasez and Lily Ann Turner._
> 
> _The man whispers, "Well, Lily and Joshua, it's up to you two." He puts his hand back down to his side and turns to the woman. "We shall help them when needed." The woman nods her head and wonders how much help they will have to give._

1983 

Lily's mom, Sara and Josh's mom, Karen were watching their two children playing in the front yard. They had met seven years previously, when Josh and Lily had been born. Lily's parents had moved from California to Maryland, and knew no one when they did. 

Sara was eight months pregnant at the time of the move and two weeks after went into labor. Karen also went into labor and they ended up sharing a room. 

Since then, neither Josh and Lily or their moms could be seperated. It was a joke among Karen and Sara's husbands. 

Sara noticed as another little boy started to pick on Lily. At another place with different people, Sara would have stepped in to help. She didn't need to here. Josh was there. 

Nobody or anything would hurt Lily when Josh was around. She smiled as she turned to sit with Karen. 

"Remember after we first had them, they would sceam and scream. They would only stop if they were together somehow." 

Karen smiled at the memory. 

"Those were the days. 3AM and we could not get Lily and Josh to sleep or to even be quiet. We would call each other and put the phones up to the babies ears and they would immediatly be silent and fall asleep." 

The dad's thought this was rather strange behavior, but had gotten used to it after the years. Karen and Sara looked outside at their children and Karen sighed. 

"What's wrong?" Sara asked wondering at her friends expression. 

"God forbid something ever happens to one or the other. I don't think they could survive being seperated." 

Sara nodded her agreement and took a swallow of her coffee. 

~~~~~~ 

"SHUT UP LILY!" 

Lily wanted to cry. Corey from down the road had come to play with her and Josh and now he was torturing a frog. Lily wanted him to stop. She tried to get him to and now Corey was picking on her. 

Josh looked up from tying his shoes to see Corey yelling at Lily. Nothing made him angrier than someone messing with his Lily. He jumped up and ran over to her. 

"Corey leave her alone." 

Lily backed up and stood closer to Josh. She always felt safe when she was next to him. Corey rolled his eyes. Josh was always with Lily and he was always trying to get him to play with the guys. 

"Josh, she is such..such..A GIRL! Why don't you come down to my house and play with me and David and Jerry?" 

Josh looked down at Lily and saw unshed tears in her eyes. He grabbed her little hand. 

"I am playing with Lily." 

Corey sighed. "You are ALWAYS with her. I'm outta here." 

He jumped on his bike and left. Josh watched as Corey left. He shrugged. He didn't think there was anything wrong with wanting to be with his best friend. 'Was there?'


	2. Chapter 2

1986 

"Mom I DON't WANT TO GO TO CAMP!!!" Josh yelled so loud that even his dad could hear it over the TV show he was watching. 

Karen sighed. It had been a battle for a month when Josh realized he would be going away to camp for two weeks. It was even worse when he found out Lily wasn't going. It would be the first time in ten years that they would do anything seperatly. 

"But hone.." 

"No mom. I won't go. I won't leave Lily." 

Ten year old Josh ran out of the house and Karen could do nothing but watch. She knew that this was not going to be an easy fight. 

Sara and her thought it best of the kids started to get their own intrests. Do their own thing. She just wished they would have known how hard of a fight they were going to have. 

Karen picked up the phone and called Sara. 

"HELLO?!" 

Karen laughed at the exhasperated voice on the other end of the phone. 

"Not going to good huh?" 

Sara snorted. 

"I think Napolean had an easier time at Waterloo." 

Karen laughed, but she would have to agree with her on that. 

"Let's just say, that when I told Lily, Josh would be gone for two weeks. Just two weeks, you would have thought the world was coming to an end." 

Karen nodded. "Yup. That's about the same thing that happened here. In fact Josh ran out of the house about... 

They both said at the same time 

"Five miniutes ago" 

They both chuckled. It was a given fact that Lily and Josh were on the same wavelength. For everything. 

"I think this is going to be good for them." 

"I hope your right." 

~~~~~~~~ 

Josh ran as fast as he could to his and Lily's club house. He knew she would be there waiting for him just as she knew he would come. 

He climbed up the tree and saw tears falling from her blue eyes. It was always remarked how her and Josh had the exact same blue eyes and now those eyes shared the exact same look. 

"I am not going Lily. They can't make me." 

Josh said this was such conviction that Lily smiled. She knew better than that. No matter what he said or did, he would always listen to his mom and dad. He wouldn't be her Josh is he didn't. He sat down next to her and held her hand. 

"You should go. That way you guys won't be fighting. Who knows. You might end up having fun." 

Josh gave Lily a look that said she was nuts. 

"WEll, you might!" 

"I won't if your not there with me." 

Lily looked down at where Josh held her hand. For ten years old, both her and Josh possesed a wisdom beyond their years. 

"I think that's what they want tho. They want us to start having our own intrests. Doing are own things. They want us to have seperate lives." 

Josh blinked back tears. Not being a part in every aspect of Lily's life was to much to think about. In fact lately he knew what she was doing even when they weren't together. 

He never said anything to her because it was weird. He "knew" when she fell asleep and when she woke up. He "knew" when she was coming to his house. He also knew when she had bad dreams or good ones. It was weird, but natural. 

Lily knew what he was thinking. Having seperate lives would be a horriable thing. But on the off chance that they did go their seperate ways, she knew that they would always know what was going on in each others lives. 

Especaially lately. She knew when he was doing stuff. Like sleeping, or singing or whatever. She just knew. She knew when he was having a bad dream. She felt it. It might be wierd but she felt like it was normal. She never told him any of this, but she knew. 

They both knew that people felt their friendship was strange, but it was theirs. No one could touch it. No one could understand it. No one could invade it. 

He felt Lily's squeeze his hand. 

"It's for only two weeks. What could happen?" 

The looked at each other and spoke at the same time. 

"A LOT!"


	3. Chapter 3

Three weeks later, Josh was getting ready for camp. Lily had convinced him not to fight with his parents over this. For three weeks Lily cried in her sleep at the thought of being apart from Josh. 

Josh knew she was crying and he wanted to run to her everytime. But he didn't because he wasn't entirely sure how to handle this new aspect of their relationship. 

Lily knew Josh was not sleeping because he didn't want to go. She had wanted to go to him and reassure him, but she too didn't know how to handle this "connection" they had. 

So, Lily had come to say goodbye. She was trying to be strong and not crying. It was for only two weeks. She was trying to convince herself that, that was not a bad thing. 

Josh wanted to hide. For two weeks. He knew that two weeks really was not a long time. But it was long enough. He got into the car and waved to everyone. Lily and he did not break eye contact until they could not see each other anymore. 

 

When the car was out of sight, Lily dropped her mom's hand and walked slowly back to her house. Josh turned back around in his seat and closed his eyes. 'I will back soon Lily' 

'I know Josh.' 

Both thinking that hearing each other like that was completely normal. 

Karen looked at Sara and sighed. 

"What happens when they go off to college?" 

Sara shrugged her shoulders. "They will proabably go to the same school or not go at all." 

They both laughed, while realizing, that was probably more true than not. 

~~~~~~~~ 

Karen and Sara learned the hard way. Seperating them was a very bad idea. They decided that if Josh and Lily wanted to do stuff on their own, they would do it in their own time. It wasn't going to be forced. 

The two weeks that Josh was at camp were the worst for both of them. 

Lily hardly ever came out of her room. Only when her mom bought her a hammock to put in the backyard, did she emerge. She hardly ate. When she did it was very little. 

Josh was not much better off. When Karen talked to the camp counselers, they told her that Josh rarely participated in any of the activities. He only ate when forced. He perked up a little when there was something musical going on. They suggested next time sending him to a musical camp of some sort. 

Sara and Karen could not for the life of them figure out how two, ten year olds got that way. Karen was looking out the window when the car pulled up. She was on the phone talking to Sara. 

"Josh is back. But I don't expect him to come in here first." 

They both laughed at the truth of that. 

"Yea Lily just ran out to the back yard. She just knows that Josh will come to her there." 

That was the truth. Lily knew as soon as Josh was on his way to the house. She ran out of the house and into the backyard. She knew he would come to her out back. He always knows. 

~~~~~ 

Josh didn't even go to the house. He went right into the backyard. He didn't even think anything of the fact that no one told him where Lily was. He just knew. She was waiting for him. 

When Josh got around to the back he saw her leg rocking her back and forth in a hammock.'She always wanted one', he thought. 

"Hi Josh." Lily said without turning around. 

"Hey Lily." 

Josh walked up to the hammock and she moved over to let him in. His leg picked up the motion of what hers was doing when he arrived. 

"Let's never do that again." 

Lily nodded her head. 

"I agree." 

They slowly rocked themselves to sleep. 

~~~~ 

 

Sara was still on the phone with Karen. She watched as Josh went right into the backyard without even asking where Lily was. 

Things with the kids were getting stranger and stranger as time went on. Sara never belieed in soul mates or any of that stuff, but the more she watched Lily and Josh the more she wondered. 

She shook her head and focused back on the conversation with Karen. 

"Josh get there?" 

"Yea. He is out back with Lily on the hammock. He just got here." 

She didn't want to say anything to Karen about her suspicions. She would let things go as they might and pray that no one got hurt.


	4. Chapter 4

1991 

"LILY..come on you have to concentrate. You can do these with your eyes closed." 

Lily grabbed a water and wiped her face off with a towel. She wanted to make the JV basketball team this year and Josh was helping. Like he always does. But lately she hadn't been able to concentrate. 

Josh was getting a little angry with her. He was doing everything he could to help so she would make the team. 

She was just not paying attention. He didn't want to say anything tho. She had been acting a little strange the last couple of months. His mom told him that teenage girls were like that. 

She sat down on the curb and looked up at Josh. Lately, whenever he was around her concentration went out the window. Today was no exception. 'His eyes are really blue today'. She shook her head. 'Where the heck did that thought come from', she thought to herself. 

She took a huge sip of water and stood up. "I'm sorry Josh. Let's get to work. Try outs are next week." 

She grabbed the ball from his hand dribbled to the net and landed a perfect lay-up. Josh just looked at her. 'Her legs have gotten long and..' he stopped himself in mid thought. 'Where the heck did that come from?' 

They both were two frightened of the feelings that they were feeling to say anything, but both knew that something was up with the other one. The "connection" as Lily like to call it, had gotten stronger and stronger over the years. She never said anything to Josh because she didn't know if he felt the same thing. 

Josh was getting overwhelmed with all the stuff he was feeling. On top of noticing that Lily had gotten pretty, there was that..that...he didn't know what to call it..but IT was there all the time. 

Waking him up when she had a bad dream. Knowing when she slept peacefuly. IT had gotten stronger over the years but he didn't talk about it. 

He got enough grief from his buddies without adding to it. Lily was standing in front of him. He looked her in the eys and got lost. She buzzed right past him and made her shot. 

Yes, he was getting pissed at what was happening to him. Just as he was going to retrieve the ball there was a voice at the end of the driveway. 

"Hey Chasez? Are you playing today?" 

Corey yelled to Josh. It was time for their weekly baseball game. Josh looked at Lily. They always played together. 

"Wanna play Lily or do you still want to practice?" 

"Actually a break would be nice. Let me grab my glove." 

Josh and Lily walked to the end of the driveway. 

"Sorry Josh. Lil, can't come today." 

Josh's eyes narrowed a fraction. He hated when Corey called her Lil. He knew Corey kinda liked Lily and it bugged him. He didn't know why. It just did. 

"Why not?" 

Corey didn't mind if Lily came or not. He liked watching her play. He liked watching her period. 

"It's the other girls. We tell them they can't come and then you do. They are giving us hell because of it. We promised them you wouldn't come today." 

Lily sighed. She always knew this time would come. Her and Josh needed to have their own friends. Do some of their own stuff. Their parents were right when they sent Josh to camp when he was ten, but it had to be in their own time. 

"It's ok Josh go. I can figure out something to do." She didn't know what. 

Josh looked from Lily to Corey and back to Lily again. 'It shouldn't be hard to leave to play baseball.' 

"Catch ya later Lily." 

He jumped on his bike and headed down the driveway. The farther away he got the more his chest hurt. Then the more angry he got. There was no way in hell that he was going to let IT deter from his life any longer. He needed space from Lily. They both needed their own lives. Seperate from each other. 

Even as he thought about it, the idea of being apart from Lily was hurting him. Lily watched him leave. She knew this was going to change things. She didn't know if she was ready for those changes. 

Because as she watched Josh ride away from her, into something just for him, she realized. She was in love with him. She was fifteen but she was in love. Josh was a part of her. She was a part of him. 

She sighed, knowing that she would have to wait. Wait until he realized that himself.


	5. Chapter 5

After the baseball game all the guys were sitting around cooling off. 

"Hey Josh, the Mickey Mouse Club is holding auditions next week. In Washington." 

Josh looked at Corey. "You told me this because..." 

Corey rolled his eyes."Because I know you like to sing and that would be a perfect job for you." 

Josh sighed. He did want to do something in the music business. He had just one problem. He was very very nervous about singing in front of people, and the Mickey Mouse Club was for lots of people. Josh wiped the sweat off of his face. 

"That's OK Corey, I don't think so." 

Corey squinted at Josh. He knew Josh. He knew there was one thing that would get him to do it. 

"I dare you Josh. I dare you to take a trip into DC and audition for it." 

Josh looked at Corey. He hated when Corey did that to him. Some of the dumbest things that Josh had ever done had come from dares. He never could back down from one. 

"Fine. I'll go. But you are coming with me." 

Corey didn't have a problem with that. Expecially when he figured that Lily would be going with them. 

"Sure. I will tag along. Let's play another game guys." 

All the guys jumped up and ran to the field, with Josh following and wondering what he had got himself into. When teams were picked Josh was debating weather or not to go back to Lily's. 

Then he shook his head. He was not going to let those kind of feelings dictate his life. 

~~~~~~ 

Lily looked at her watch. She was sitting in her hammock. It had been almost four hours and Josh still hadn't come back yet. She knew he was thinking about it, but he decided against it. She heard the phone ring in the house but her mom would answer it. 

She picked her book back up and started to read it. 

"Lily...phone" 

Lily wondered who would be calling her. AS she got close to the house she got a feeling. It was Josh. He was calling instead of coming over. 

"Hi." 

"Hey Lily, it's me Josh. I am going to crash at Corey's tonight so I will see you sometime tomorrow OK?" 

Lily couldn't speak. Josh always came over to her house. Every night. Why did it change all of sudden? 

"Yea sure. Have fun." 

Josh hung up the phone at the same time that Lily did. Lily looked at her mom. 

"What is it honey?" 

"Josh. He is not coming over tonight. He is staying at Corey's." 

Sara watched as her daughter walked slowly to her room. Both Karen and her knew that this was going to happen. They just wished that someone wouldn't have to get hurt in the process. 

~~~~~~ 

Josh heard in Lily's voice just how sad she was after he told her he wasn't coming over. He had to fight the urge to take off and be with her. 

He was always there when she was sad and this time it was him that was making her that way. But he was going to be strong. He was not going to be forced to live his life according to his feelings for Lily. 

~~~~~ 

Lily cried herself to sleep for the first time since she was ten. She was losing Josh. She just knew it and she didn't know how to stop it. 

She figured that whatever the connection was between them, he might have a harder time with it, but she never thought he would distance himself from her. That is if he even had the same connection with her as she had with him. 

Josh couldn't get any sleep. He knew Lily was crying. He had to think about anything else but that in order to NOT run to her. He didn't want to look like a wuss in front of his friends. 

He decided right then and there that maybe getting the part on the Mickey Mouse Club would be the best thing. For both of them. Make them both start to live lives a little seperatly. 

Josh made a mental note to have a talk with Lily about it. Besides that Lily would be his biggest supporter at the audition. He never even thought of not having her come along. The needed space not to be totally detached from one another.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning Josh woke up tired. He did not sleep good at all. All night long he kept thinking about Lily and for the first time in his life not saying goodnight to her in person. He looked at the clock. 

It was seven AM. Everyone else was still sleeping, so he snuck out. Maybe he needed baby steps. Last night was not fun. He just hoped that things would be easier as they got older and started their own things. 

~~~~~~ 

Lily woke with a start. 'Josh was coming.' She jumped out of bed and got dressed. She didn't want to seem to anxious to see him, but she was. She went downstairs deciding between sitting in the hammock or shooting some hoops. She opted for the hammock. 

She had just got comfortable when Josh came into the backyard. He smiled as he saw her laying there. The same way she had many times before. He walked up and laid down next to her. 

"Lily. We have to talk." 

Lily nodded her head. 

"I expected as much." 

"Remember when they tried to send me to camp? It turned out bad. I hated it." 

"I know I hated it too. it was the worst two weeks of my life." 

"Mine too. But I think it was so bad because we weren't ready." 

Josh paused as he thought about his next words. 

"I think we are now. We are fourteen years old. We are starting to have different interests. You are gonna have your basketball. I..well I.." 

Lily turned slightly to look at him. 

"You what?" 

"Well, I am going to audition for the Mickey Mouse Club next week. They are holding them in DC. Corey told me yesterday. Actually he dared me to go." 

Lily laughed. 

"Yea well I guess you have to go now. Have you talked to your mom?" 

Lily momentarily forgot about what Josh had said about them. Now was Josh's time. 

"No not yet. I will as soon as we are done talking." 

This brought Lily back to the original reason for the conversation. 

"OK, So we need to do things separately. I understand that. Let's just promise right here that wherever our lives take us we never forget about each other. We must always be there for each other. No matter what." 

Josh looked into Lily's eyes. He would have no problem fulfilling that promise. Lily has and always will be his first priority. 

"I promise. We will make time for each other. Even when you are playing basketball for the US Olympic Team." 

She smiled at Josh's confidence in her. 

"I swear to be there for you always. Even when you are in front of millions of screaming girls singing and dancing your heart out." 

Josh laughed. 

"You make me sound like I am going to be some big teen sensation or something." 

"Hey you never know." 

They sat there for a few more minitues silence. " So are you going to come with me to DC when I audition?" 

"Do you want me too?" 

Josh looked at her. "Lily why wouldn't I want you too? This could be something big in my life. Of course I want you there." 

Lily smiled. "Of course I'll be there. Come to think of it next weeks is going to be big. I have my try outs for the team and you have your audition." 

"Yea. It's gonna be huge." 

~~~~~ 

One week later Corey, Lily and Karen were sitting out in the hallway where the auditions were being held. They had just picked Josh out of the crowd and whisked him into the auditorium. Lily was nervous for him. She knew how hard it was for him to sing in front of people. He asked what the heck he should sing. 

As he was being escorted in Lily yelled for him to sing Right Here Waiting from Richard Marks. She had no idea what he was going to do but she knew that was one of his favorite songs. 

Forty-five minutes later Josh came walking out with a man in a suit. 

"Mrs. Chasez. We believe your son has what we are looking for. He has a raw talent and I am confident that working for our show will help him develop it into something great. I would like to set up a meeting with you and your husband as soon as possible." 

Karen was overwhelmed. She looked at her son. She knew this is something he had dreamed about. 

"OK. He can be here in a couple of hours." 

"We would like to meet with you in Orlando. That's where they film the show. You would have to relocate." 

That statement knocked the wind out of both Lily and Josh. Orlando. That was too far away. 

"Can I have a number. There is a lot to think about and I need to talk it over with my husband." 

"I understand. Here is all the information that you will need. Give me a call in a week." 

Karen just shook her head in amazement. She took the envelope out of his hand. 

" I will. I will get back to you as soon as possible." 

"Thank you." 

Everyone stood in silence for a split second. 

"DUDE JOSH! Your going to be a TV star!! It's the coolest thing. Lily our best friend is going to be on TV." 

"Yea Corey. I know. It's cool" 

Josh looked at Lily. They needed to talk. This was big.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

When they dropped Corey off at his house, they were silent on the way to Josh's. Corey's excitement filled the drive home with energy. 

"Lily let's go out onto the porch. " 

Karen sighed. She knew that getting Josh's dad to agree was no big deal. The problem was going to be leaving Lily. 

"You two go. I will bring out some ice tea." 

Lily and Josh sat on the porch swing. He grabbed her hand. 

"You haven't said much. What are you thinking?" 

Like he didn't know already. She was afraid to be so far away from him. Truth be told, he felt the same way. 

"I think it's great. It's what you have always wanted." 

She smiled at him. it was the truth. 

"I just wish you didn't have to go to Orlando to do it." 

"I know me either. That's why we need to talk. This would not change us at all. You are still my best friend. I will love you forever." 

Looking into his eyes, so much like her own she wanted to tell him how she really felt. But she didn't. 

"Well, you said we had to do this. My basketball try outs are tomorrow, so while your busy filming I will be busy with school and basketball. I won't say that it is going to be easy, but I am proud of you. My best friend the TV star." 

Josh smiled for the first time since finding out that he would have to be in Orlando. 

"Yea kinda weird huh?" 

"Yea. Kinda." 

They sat there in silence and drank the ice tea that Karen had brought out to them. Josh was excited. Maybe this was his big chance. He looked over at Lily. Still leaving her would not be easy. But he would have to do it. 

"Josh, your dad would like to talk to you." 

Lily gave Josh a reassuring hand squeeze. 

"Your dad is going to say yes." 

"I sure hope so." 

"I am going to head home. Call me tomorrow and let me know what happened." 

Josh looked at her funny. She was leaving him. To go home. 'Is this how she felt last week when I did this to her?', he thought to himself. He shook his head. It was time to grow up. To move forward. 

"OK I will. Sleep sweet." 

"You too." 

Josh started in the house. 

"Hey try outs are tomorrow afternoon right?" 

Lily turned around. She wasn't sure if he remembered. 

"Yea. At one." 

"Did you really think I wasn't going to be there for them?" 

She just shrugged her shoulders. The future was very blurred right now. Things were changing so fast she didn't know what to think. 

They were standing a porch apart, but she could feel the weight of his eyes on her. She looked up to meet his gaze. 

"Lily Ann...things are not gonna change between us. I will always be there to support you. Good or Bad." 

She let a couple tears fall from her eyes. 

"I know." 

She turned and walked to her house.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8   
6 months later 

Lily stood up and stretched. She looked at her clock. 6AM. She was going for her morning run. She needed it today more than ever. They were having their championship game that night and she was nervous. 

The team had made a complete turn around since she started in the fall. Everyone said it was because of her. She knew better, but it felt good to hear it. They were a team. And the Team made it this far. 

With Josh gone she had nothing to do but practice and come up with better game plans. The coach relied on her a lot. It felt good to be needed. Especially since Josh didn't seem to need that much anymore. 

He had left just before school started and it had been horriable going back. 

Corey was there all the time and he had been sweet and everything. He just wasn't Josh. Corey came to every game. He cheered her on. He practiced with her. He did almost everything that Josh did. Except fill a hole in her heart. 

Every week she would watch the Mickey Mouse Club. She was so proud of Josh. She bent down and tied her shoes. She took off at a jog. This was the one time she allowed herself to think. 

She felt that her and Josh had drifted so far apart that they would never be the same again. OH she still knew when he was upset, tired, crying, having a bad dream all of that stuff. She was so used to it by now that it was like a part of her. 

She just didn't call him every time she got a feeling like that. The last time she did had been a month ago and she would never do it again. 

 

....flashback... 

Lily had been sitting in her hammock reading the book I Know What You Did Last Summer. She had a test on it and was a few chapters behind. She was part way through with chapter ten when she felt that Josh needed her. She hopped up off of the hammock and made her way towards the phone. 

She dialed his number. 

"Hello?" 

"Karen, it's Lily." 

"Lily. Sweetie. It's so good to hear from you. Do you want to talk to JC...I mean Josh? I am so used to JC now that it's hard to remember that back home he is Josh." 

"Yes thank you." 

She could hear every word that was said. 

"Josh it's Lily." 

"Tell her I'm tired. I don't want to talk right now." 

"But Josh.." 

"Mom How can I tell her about Tammy, when I never even told her about her in the first place? I can't say hey Lily my girlfriend dumped me, when she didn't even know I had one. She would hate me." 

....end flashback... 

Lily blinked back tears. She wouldn't have hated him. She would have been hurt, but not hated him. She had hung up the phone even before Karen got back to it. She hadn't called him since. He called her. But she would never talk long. She was just to hurt to try and pretend. 

She told Corey about it. Corey didn't understand why Josh never said anything to Lily about Tammy. In the end it didn't matter why, it's just mattered that Josh was eliminating her from his life. 

She looked at her watch. It was 6:30. Time to head back home. 

 

~~~~~ 

Josh rolled over and hit snooze on his alarm. 'Thank god this is almost done for the season.' He hated getting up early. But, filming was from 7:30 till noon and then it was school. 

The whole cast had a teacher and a class room. No one was going to drop out of school for this. 

Everyone needed an education. This had been the selling point for Josh's dad. As long as he would still graduate he was OK with it. 

Josh rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling. After filming was done today, everyone was off for a month or so. He and his mom were flying back home. They should be back in time for Lily's game. He was excited. He was going to surprise her at the game. 

He just wish he knew what was up. About a month ago Lily changed when talking to him. He didn't know why. He knew that he hadn't held up his end of the friendship all that well, but he tried. 

He had new friends, new things to discover.' Yea and you never once asked for Lily to come down here and at least meet them' 

He growled at that stupid voice in his head. He was sorry and he planned to make it up to her. He was going to start by surprising her tonight at her playoff game. And he would tell her about Tammy. He never did figure out why he didn't tell her about Tammy. 

"Josh honey, are you all packed?" 

Josh looked around the room in the apartment where he and his mom had been living for the last few months. 

"Yea mom. I am. I just gotta get dressed." He jumped out of bed and thinking about seeing Lily and being back home he got into a better mood.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9 

Josh looked at his watch. "Mom come. We are already late." 

Lily's game started at seven. It was already seven thirty. He was pissed. The flight was delayed by an hour. he had so wanted to be there when she started. He grabbed his duffel bag and his mom's suitcase and ran out the door of the airport. 

"JC..sweetie.." 

"Mom, here I am Josh. Not JC. I just want to be Josh here OK." 

"I'm sorry. I'm just so used to calling you JC now. I will try an remember that. Slow down I can't keep up with you." 

Josh slowed down but scowled ahead of him. Karen smiled. He knew how much he missed Lily and that the last six months had been hard for him. 

When they get outside his dad was waiting for them. 

"You guys are over an hour late. Corey saved you seats so we best hurry." 

Josh and Karen threw their bags in the trunk and jumped in the car. To Josh the ride home from the airport was the longest in his life. 

~~~~~ 

 

Corey looked at his watch. 'Where is he?' He couldn't believe that Josh would miss this too. he had missed so much in the last six months. He wasn't around for his and Lily's birthday. He had even left before he found if Lily made the team or not. 

Corey sighed. Lily had been one upset girl the past months. He did everything in his power to make her happy. Corey knew he wasn't Josh but he tried hard to be her friend. He smiled as he watched her nail a perfect three-point shot. That shot put them in the lead for half-time. 

Lily looked up to see Corey wave his hand and give her a thumb-up. She smiled back and waved. She grabbed a towel on her way in and was wiping the sweat off her face when she heard a voice from next to her. 

"That was a perfect shot Lily. I told you, you could do it." 

She couldn't believe it. He was there. She still hadn't turned around because she was not sure if she would run up and hug him or punch him in the gut. 

Josh looked at her back. She was stopped but had yet to look at him. 'She must be really mad.' 

"Lily, I know I didn't keep up my end of the bargain. I am sorry sweetie. I never meant to hurt you." 

He didn't know what to say to her.To make her turn around and look at him. He saw her shoulders move in what had to be a sigh. 

"Josh, I will talk to you after the game. I gotta get in there. The coach needs to talk to us." 

Josh just stared at her retreating back open mouthed. She didn't even turn around to look at him. He felt her pain. He knew it was his fault. he would have to use the next couple of months to fix things and reassure her that he would never abandon her again. 

Josh turned and was standing in front of Corey. He always knew Corey had a thing for Lily, but the look on his face now meant even more. 

"She has been in hell Josh. She knows about Tammy." 

Josh looked down at his feet. 

"Corey, I know. I promise I will make it up to her." 

Corey stared him in the eye. "Make sure you do." 

Josh took a slit second to register the look. 

"Your in love with her aren't you?" 

Corey squinted. "So what if I am? It's not like your in love with her right?" 

Corey said this as a test. Josh blinked. What could he say. he wasn't in love with her. But he sure didn't want her with Corey. 

"Of course I'm not. I'm just a little shocked is all. When you were little you hated her." 

Corey laughed. "Well that's because she would have nothing to do with any of us. It was always about you." 

Josh nodded his head. He knew that to be the truth. That's why it was so important for them to start living a little bit apart. but he had overdone it. 

"I don't want to be mean Josh, but while you were gone I have gotten to know her. She is a sweetheart." 

"I know Corey. I know. I am truly sorry that I hurt her." 

Josh and Corey looked at each other. Two friends at a standoff. One was in love with a girl and the other was in such denial that his sub-conscience wasn't aware of it.


	10. Chapter 10

Lily felt sick. As bad as she wanted to see Josh, actually seeing him was another matter. She didn't realize how angry and hurt she was until she heard his voice. She didn't turn around because she was afraid of what she would say or do to him if she did. 

Now she was a nervous wreck. She had been on her game all night, and with Josh's presence she was very afraid she was going to lose it. She breathed in. 'OK girl. Josh is the one that helped you get as good as you are.' She focused her attention back to the coach. 

"Lily I want you to be point." 

With one last yell the team went back out on to the court. 

Lily briefly looked up to see Josh and Corey standing together. She blinked back tears. This is how she dreamed it should be. He best friend in the whole wide world standing next to...well she was not sure what to call Corey. He was her friend. But he had been there when Josh hadn't. To say the least Corey was one of her best friends. She was happy to have him as such. 

After Josh left she actually got to know some of the kids around town. Josh was right about one thing. It was good to have more people in your life than just one. 

Lily took her place out on the court. The last half turned out to be better than the first. 

~~~~~~~ 

There was a dance after the game. Lily was going as Corey's date but Josh tagged along. He hadn't seen any of his other friends in awhile either. Plus he still wanted to talk to Lily. But she was succesfuly avoiding him. 

Josh was waiting for an opportunity to talk to her. He watched as Corey and Lily danced a succession of songs. Every time they dance a slow song Josh would get pain in his chest. Like all of the other feelings that he got about Lily he chose to ignore it. He didn't want to be a freak. 

When Corey and Lily came to sit down, Corey went to get a drink. Josh and Lily were sitting in silence. Something that never had happened before. They always had something to say. 

Before either could speak, one of Josh's favorite songs started to play. He looked at Lily and she blinked back tears. 

"Dance with me Lily." 

She let the tears fall from her eyes and put her hand in his. She felt the touch through her whole body. They walked out to the dance floor. When the started dancing everyone else on the dance floor fled from their minds. 

Josh was going to enjoy the moment and not even consider why he was enjoying holding Lily. 

"I'm sorry Lily." 

"I forgive you Josh." 

They looked in each others eyes and knew no more words would have to be spoken. Lily knew, now she would never be able to love anyone the way she loved Josh. She also saw that if Josh felt the same way, he was denying it so much that he didn't know what he was feeling. She just let herself enjoy being in Josh's arms. 

~~~~~ 

Corey had come back to the seats with a drink for Lily. When he looked at the two of them dancing, he sat in a chair and stared. There was no way he was going to be able to compete for Lily's affections. None what so ever. 

He sighed and decided he would take whatever Lily could give him. Then he smiled.' Yea right. Josh don't love her.'


	11. Chapter 11

1993 

Lily was packing her bag. She was going to Orlando for a couple of weeks. For the last year and half or so, she had gone to visit Josh several times. He also made it a point to come home regularly. She smiled as she tied her shoes. 

Josh had done everything he could to make Lily realize that he had made a huge mistake when he had left the first time. Now he kept her up to date on all the happenings in his life She had even met a few of his friends. She was able to live a life seperatly from his. It felt good. 

There was knock on her door. She smiled as she knew who it was. 

"Come in'" 

Corey opened the door and looked at Lily. He still had a hard time with the fact that Josh could give her that gleam in her eyes. Corey and Lily had been dating for almost a year. He walked over and kissed her on top of her head. 

Lily looked up at him. She could see how much Corey loved her and she felt bad that a huge part of her was with Josh. She loved Corey. She did. Just not in the same way as Josh. She could never explain it. To herself or anyone. The things she felt for Josh were so strong and different that she had to learn how to live with them. 

"Here to take us to the airport?" 

"You chariot awaits madam." 

"Why thank you, kind sir." 

She stood on her tip toes to give him a kiss. In the last year he had grown about 6 inches. He buffed out to play football. When her lips touched his pulled her closer. 

When they stepped apart, Corey looked into her eyes. He knew how she felt about Josh. He had done everything he could to get her to see him in the same way, but to no avail. 

"Don't run off and marry Josh now you hear." 

She smiled at him. 

"OK. I promise. Besides I think Trisha might have something to say about it." 

She turned and grabbed her bag. When Josh had introduced her to Trisha about six months before hand her world came tumbling down around her. She had really thought she had buried those feelings. She thought she had moved on, but seeing them together made her sick. Literally. She ended up in bed for two weeks. It had been the weirdest experience of her life. It was like a part of her was getting ripped out. 

When she recovered, she swore to never let the thing between her and Josh control her that much again. 

"OK you ready." 

"Yup. It's kinda cool that I am coming too." 

She smiled up at him. She truly happy to have Corey come with her. The three of them again. She gave him a quick kiss. 

"I know. Orlando has no idea what's coming." 

Corey laughed and grabbed her hand. 

~~~~~ 

Josh was pacing around the sound stage. He was a nervous wreck. It will be the first time ever seeing Corey and Lily together. He knew the feelings he was having were weird. He was in love with Trisha, but he found out that Corey and Lily were dating last year, he lost it. Not that anyone knew he lost it. His mom might have know but never said anything. 

He remembered reading the letter. 'Josh, Corey is so sweet. He took me on a midnight picnic and got me roses. It was beautiful.' He had gotten so sick after reading that letter that he couldn't work or two weeks. It was like he had lost an arm or a leg. It was the worst feeling in the world and the strongest one he had felt up to that point. 

All the other feelings that IT had given him he had succeed in blocking out most of the time. Unless Lily was under extreme duress or in pain. Then he would call. He could ignore the other stuff, but not that. When Lily needed him he was there. It was his promise and he intended to keep it. 

"JC if you keep pacing they are Donna have to put a new floor in here." 

Josh looked up to see one of the newest cast members, Justin Timberlake, walking towards him. 

"I know Justin. Sorry. I just haven't seen Lily or Corey in so long." 

"Is Trisha coming with you to the airport?" 

"No she has to work. I am going solo." 

Justin looked at JC. He was really curious about this girl Lily. Justin had only been on the set for a couple weeks when JC started talking about Lily. The way the guy talked you would think that he was in love with her. 

"Want me to tag along?" 

Josh looked at Justin. he really liked the kid. He was only tewleve but he was mature for his age. 

"Sure. Why not. I want you to meet her and Corey anyhow." 

Justin hid a smile. When JC said Corey's name there was a hint of something. Justin didn't know what. But something. The weekend was picking up. Definitly picking up.


	12. Chapter 12

Justin and Josh arrived at the airport the same time that Corey and Lily were walking out of the doors. Josh saw them first and stopped in his tracks. Corey had his arm around Lily's waist and was whispering something in her ear. 

Lily slowed feeling that someone was looking at her. She glanced around to see Josh staring right at her. She smiled tentivly at him. 

"Hey look there's Josh." 

Corey spoke and Lily smiled brighter. 'No need to look panicked.' She thought to herself. 

"A JC I think you should get the fire out of your eyes and walk a little bit to meet your friends." 

Justin smirked as Josh shot him a glare. 

"I do not have fire in my eyes. I am just..." 

He never finished his sentence because Lily and Corey had made their way up to them. Lily grabbed Josh and hugged him. 

"I am so excited to see you Josh." 

Josh looked in her eyes. He sighed. Things had changed slightly. He now saw a look in them that wasn't;t directed towards him. And it hurt. Hurt more than he cared to admit. 

"Nice to see you too Lily. Was your guys flight OK?" 

Corey reached his hand out to shake Josh's. It was a great effort for Josh to extend his hand. But he did so and hoped that his tension wasn't noticeable. 

"Missed you buddy." 

"Missed you too Corey." 

"A hum..Hum.." 

Josh had all but forgotten that Justin was standing next to him. 

"O sorry. Guys this is Justin Timberlake. The newest brat to grace the Mickey Mouse Club." 

"Brat what do you mean brat?" 

He reached his hand out to Corey's to shake. 

"Nice to meet you Corey. Lily. I have heard so much about you and I have only been here for like two weeks." 

Both Josh and Corey were scowling. Lily laid a beaming smile in Josh direction and then turned towards Justin. She linked her arm through his and started to walk. 

"I think Josh you should lead the way." 

Corey and Josh rolled their eyes and proceeded to lead the way to Josh's car. 

"Josh I think we have been up staged..by a kid..." 

The both heard Lily laugh. 

"So Justin, tell me all that my dearest Josh had to say about me?" 

"Don't even think about it Timberlake" 

Justin smiled looking from Lily to Josh's back. 

"Well, Lily let me tell you...." 

~~~~~ 

 

Justin kept Lily in stitches the entire ride home. He was the sweetest kid and with those eyes and that blond hair he was sure to be hit with the girls. 

Josh and Corey tried to keep up with the conversation that the two in the back were having but it was impossible. Josh wouldn't have thought it, but there was someone else in this world that could talk as fast as Lily and he was sitting in the backseat with her. 

"Corey, I really think that we are going to be shut out for the rest of this trip." 

"Me maybe. But not you. Never you." 

Corey didn't mean for it come out so snotty but it did. Josh looked at Corey. 

"I think Corey that you and I have to talk." 

"I would rather not. Josh I am..." 

"Hey you two why so serious?" 

Justin interrupted the conversation that Josh and Corey were having. Josh sighed. 

"Nothing, just remembering the good old days." 

"Yea. The good old days." 

Josh looked up in his mirror and caught Lily's gaze. She smiled at him and then looked out the window. Justin noticed all of this and wondered how long it would take these two to get together. The were so in love it was obvious. Justin was sure that Corey knew this as well. Especially with all the slightly dirty looks he gave to Josh but tried to hide. 

Josh turned the radio on and laughed when Lily got excited. Ice Ice Baby bye Vanilla Ice was on and she loved that song. 

"Josh sweetie turn it up." 

She didn't notice the way Corey cringed when she called Josh that. He just glared out the window and started to wonder if she was worth trying to compete with Josh. 

"Vanilla Ice Ice baby..." 

Josh rolled his eyes. 'Great now both her and Justin are singing.' He watched in his mirror, as Justin and Lily sang there hearts out unaware of the tension building in his friend next to him.


	13. Chapter 13

_"Why is it taking so long for them to love each other?"_

_The woman asked the man standing next to her. There was not a lot of time and Josh and Lily were taking their time._

_"Because they are human. And they are young. Besides we have seen how Josh has reacted to the gift that he has ben given. It will take time."_

_The woman nodded her head. She looked into the pool again to see Corey and Justin walking behind Josh and Lily. She knew that Corey had a problem with Joshua and she was worried about it. Corey was a dangerous soul._

_"I wonder about Corey."_

_The man nodded his agreement. "Yes. Corey. He is a dangerous sort. We must keep an extra watch on him. I fear that he might do Lily harm. Things could get worse before they get better I'm affraid."_

_The man had looked into Corey's soul and did not like what he saw. The boy could go either way. Bad or good. he feared that he leaned toward the bad. Especailly with all of this going on with Josh and Lily._

_Even tho they were forbidden to give any "real" help to the young people they had chosen, they could give some gifts that would assist them. The only problem was Josh. They had already given them a small gift and he had not delt with it well. Lily had learned how to use it but after Josh's behavior was not using it to it's full ability._

_"Just remember that no matter what happens, we must not directly interfere."_

_"Even if Lily's life would be in danger?"_

_The man looked at the woman then back down into the pool. He waived his hand over the water and got a closer look at Corey._

_"Yes. Even if Lily's life is in danger."_

~~~~ 

The two weeks passed very qiuckly. Corey for one was glad to get home. He had wanted to spend some time in Florida with just Lily. Take her to the beach for a moonlit picnic, that sort of thing. But he never got the chance. Josh was always around. Consuming every ounce of Lily's time that there was nothing left for him. 

Josh drove them to the airport. he had noticed in the last couple of days Corey had been different. He couldn;t put his finger on it but something was up with Corey. 

"Well, guys here we are." 

Corey and Lily got out of the car. 

"I Don't want to go home. I miss you already" 

Josh walked up and hugged her. 

"I know. But look in a month I will be coming home for a while. Until the next season starts. So we can do all our old stuff." 

Corey stiffled an evil chuckle. 'Good thing football starts up in two weeks.' Then he wouldn;t have to be around the two of them all that much. 

"Lil, our plane leaves in twenty. We gotta get out of here." 

"Ok Cor." She hugged Josh one more time. 

 

"We'll call when we get home." 

She turned and grabbed Corey's hand and they walked into the airport together. Josh watched their retreating backs. Yes. Something was up with Corey. He just could not figure out what it was.


	14. Chapter 14

1994 

Lily looked at her watch. She smiled brightly. Corey was going to pick her up and take her out for her 18th birthday. Josh was flying in the next day and they were going to spend it together. She felt bad because the Mickey Mouse Club had been canceled the week before and Josh was out of sorts. 

Karen had told her that he was thinking about staying in Orlando. Moving there permantly. Lily didn't like the idea but she would support him in whatever he wanted to do. 

She grabbed her purse as she heard the horn honk. "Hey mom, Corey's here. I'll be home later." 

Sara sighed as she watched Lily go out the door. Over the past year Corey had started to make her nervous. Something about the way he looked at Lily bothered her. But, Lily said she was being paranoid. Still something bothered her. 

When Lily got into the car she leaned over to give Corey a kiss and stopped. 

"Cor you promised you wouldn't drink anything." 

She pinned him with a look that let him know that she was less than thrilled with him. 

"What so I had a beer with the guys. So what?" 

She rolled her eyes. "Corey sweetie, you had more than a beer. I am worried about you." 

She put her hand on his arm and he yanked it away. He looked at her from the corner of his eye. 'Yes right. She's worried about me.' 

Lily looked at Corey. Things were going downhill fast with him. She thought after they graduated things would get better. But they hadn't. She wished he would talk to her. 

"Corey what's wrong? You have been acting strange for the last few months. talk to me." 

She put her hand over his on the gear shift. He looked at her and she saw something flicker in his eyes like the old Corey, but then it was gone. Replaced with the hard Corey of the last few months. 

He pulled her his hand away and stared out the window. He should tell her what the problem is. tell her that he was tired of playing second fiddle to JC. JC is who Josh was now. At least to him. After the visit a year ago, Corey didn't care one way or the other. he gave up hope of ever being that important to Lily. He was second choice and it ate at him. Daily. 

He knew he should just break up with her. It was getting old. Besides, they have never slept together. She wanted to wait until she was married. He didn't know if Lily wanted to marry him or was secertly holding out for JC. At this point he didn't care. Maybe he could change her mind. He looked back over at her.

He grabbed her hand and smiled. 'Yea maybe it was time to change tactics.' 

Lily squeezed his hand and smiled. "I love you, you know that right Corey?" 

He didn't believe her but smiled anyhow. "Sure I do. Love you too." 

~~~~~ 

 

JC got on the plane at midnight. He decided that he needed a whole new start. He broke things off with Tammy. He never really loved her like the way she deserved. He was eighteen now. He needed to grow up. He decided that he was going to move to Oralndo permantly. He kept the apartment that he and his mon had rented for the last few years. Told the landlords he would be back in a couple of months. 

He leaned back into his seat and thoguht about the future. Some part of him knew the reason things didn;t work out with Tammy was because of Lily. He wasn't in love with her, but he couldn't move on. It was to say the least a pain in the butt. 

He needed to have a serious talk with her about it. Time to lay things out on the table. Talk about IT and what it mean for them. There was also Corey. Corey stopped comunicating all together with him after the visit a year ago. He needed to talk to him too. 

He sighed. There was a lot to do in two months. He hoped everything would work out the way he wanted it to.


	15. Chapter 15

Josh had been home a month and still hadn't talked to Lily. Everything was nice just the way it was. Maybe he was overreacting. Things had been fine for the last eighteen years. Why mess things up. 

Josh looked over at Lily who was resting in the hammock. Still one of their favorite things to do together. he still wondered about her and Corey's relationship. 

"Lily, how are things with you and Cor?" 

She sighed. She didn't know how to answer him. 

"Ok. Good. We have our good days and our bad days." 

Josh knew that they had more bad days then good. he knew there were times when she would lie awake crying. he knew he should go to her but he never did. He was just so used to NOT going that he wouldn't know how to go to her if he wanted to. 

"Well, if you need to talk..." 

"Yea I know Josh. I know." 

Truth was Lily didn't want to talk to him about it. She was convinced that whatever connection they shared, he knew how she felt already and chose to ignore it. It hurt her to think that, but she was used to it by now. 

Josh rocked the hammock back and forth when the phone rang. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey Lily it's Karen. Can I talk to Josh?" 

"Sure. It's you mom." 

"Hey mom" 

Lily watched as Josh talked ot his mom. it was short conversation. 

"Ok. Mom I will. Bye." 

He hangs up the phone and turns to Lily. 

"Hey can I call Justin? He had left a message and mom said it sound VERY important." 

"Sure. Go ahead." 

Josh dialed Justin's number by heart. It took only two rings before he picked up. 

"Hey Justin it's me JC. What's up?" 

Lily watched as a thousand emotions passed accross Josh's face. 'Wow I wonder what's going on?' 

Josh was on the phone for another fifteen minitues. When he was done he just looked at the phone in his hand. he had to process the informantion before sharing it with Lily. 

Lily just waited. Josh was extremely excited about something. She figured he would talk to her when he was ready. 

"Wow!" 

"Ahh WOW what Josh?" 

Josh looked at Lily. He smiled brightly and her heart skipped a beat. She wondered if there would ever come a time when that would not happen. 

"Well, Justin called to inform me that he and a couple other guys are starting a band. A kind do-wop harmony type thing. He said he immediatly thought of me when he was approached about it. He wants me to get back down there as soon as possible." 

"That is a big WOW Josh. That is so cool. So when are you going back?" 

Josh looked at her funny. He couldn't believe that she was asking him about leaving. 

Lily laughed at the expression on his face. 

"Josh. This is your dream. Your life. I know you want to go. You can't change your dream because of me." 

Josh smiled and gave her a hug. 

"I love you girl, you know that?" 

Lily sighed. "Yea I know. Now when are you leaving?" 

"I guess as soon as I can get a flight." 

He stood up and Lily followed him. She would miss him terriably but she knew this was what he wanted to do. 

"Well then. get on home and talk to your mom. As soon as you have plans call me. I can take you to the airport." 

"Ok sweetie. I will call you as soon as possible." 

Josh ran out of her yard and down the street. Lily smiled as she wathced him run. 'Like a schoolboy,' she thought, 'just like a schoolboy.'


	16. Chapter 16

1995 

Lily was driving to Corey's house. She had just gotten a letter from Josh. He wanted her and Corey to come down to Orlando. She had yet to meet the other guys in the group. Now called NSYNC. She knew Justin of course. But she still needed to meet Chris, Lance and Joey. 

Corey still wanted nothing to do with Josh. She knew it was partially her fault. She could never get Josh out of her heart. She tried. God know's she had tried and she was greatful that Corey has stuck out this long. She was nineteen now. She should be able to commit herself, after dating Corey for almost three years, to him. 

Lily parked her car out front of Corey's apartment and made her way up to his place. She had a key and let herself in. She cringed as she saw a familiar scene. Corey passed out on the floor. His drinking had gotten worse over the past year. 

Everyone told her to leave him, but she couldn't. He needed her. She bent down and picked up the empty bottles of beer. She wished she knew who bought him all this crap. 

She tapped him on the shoulder. "Corey, baby wake up." 

He rolled over and opened his eyes. Groggy from drink and sleep he was unaware of what he was doing. 

"About time you came to me Lil." 

He grabbed and started kissing her. He rolled her over and pinned her to the ground. 

"COREY stop it. STOP IT!!" 

Lily was starting to cry. She couldn't get him to stop. She pushed one last time and moved him a little. 

"Oh so you wanna play rough huh?" 

Before he could pin her again she slapt him accross the face. He was stunned for a second then his eyes became fire. 

"Why you little *****. You won't give it up to me but you will probably be willing to give it to Joshua baby huh?" 

Before Lily realized what happened he punched her accross the face. Her nose started to bleed and she was crying. 

She was going to retaliate when Corey passed back out, oblivious to anything around him. Lily stood up and walked out of his apartment. She got into her car and started to cry. 

"Josh what am I going to do?" 

She put her hands on her head and let the tears fall. 

~~~~~ 

Chris, Justin, Lance, Joey and Josh were sitting around the table at Justin's mom's house. Justin's house was sorta command central for the band. They were waiting on word on when exactly they were leaving for Germany. Everyone was excited. 

Josh had just taken a sip of his soda when he got a pounding headach and the acute awareness that something was wrong with Lily. He jerked his head up and looked around at everyone sitting at the table. Only Justin saw the slight change in his friend. 

Josh got up to go to the living room to lat down on the couch. Justin followed. This was not the first time he had ever seen JC act this way. Now he intended to find out what the issue was. 

"JC, care to explain to me what just happend in there?" 

JC looked up at Justin through half closed lids. 

"What do you mean?" 

Justin smirked and pushed JC's legs off of the couch. 

"I mean that head jerking, looking off into space thing you do every once in a while." 

JC sighed. Maybe he should tell someone. It was something he had never discussed. With anybody. In nineteen years. 

"You won't believe me if I tell you." 

"Well, try me JC, you might be surprised." 

Josh thought for another minitue or two then decided why the heck not. He spent the next hour explaining IT and how IT had affected his life. 

~~~~~~ 

Bye the time he was done talking Justin was sitting on the floor crosslegged and open mouthed. 

"Wow JC, I mean like WOW" 

Josh laughed. 

"Yea I know." 

"So you pretty much ignore these 'preminitons' or whatever you call them?" 

Josh nodded. 

"Yea for the most part. It becomes dang annoying sometimes." 

Justin could see how that could be. But he couldn't see how JC could ignore it when he thought something was wrong. 

"When you think something is wrong why don't you call her?" 

JC shrugged. 

"I just figure if there is problem that's really bad she would call me." 

Justin thought about this. He has known Lily for two years. He didn't think she would call. 

"JC, if what you say is true then you and Lily have a wonderful gift. I wouldn't ignore it for too long. You just might end up losing her." 

Josh looked at Justin. Sometimes you would think he was twenty instead of fourteen. What Justin didn't understand was that IT got in his way of other stuff in his life. He didn't try to explain it to him. 

The phone rang and both Justin and JC junped up and ran to the kitchen. Lynn had answered it. 

"Yes Mr. Pearlman. Uh huh. Yes. Yes. Really. Good. Okay I will tell them. Thank you." 

Lynn hung up the phone slowly. She turned around to get a drink of water with a smile on her face. She knew what she was doing and she was enjoying every second of it. 

"Mooooooom!" 

"Don't you whine at me young man. I can still put you over my knee." 

The rest of the guys smirked at the thought of Lynn putting Justin over her knee. Justin scowled at the guys. 

"Yes ma'am. Sorry." 

She set her cup down and looked from one boy to the other. 

"Well, Gentelmen. It seems that you are going to Germany in two weeks." 

She said it and stepped back as the guys lost themselves in celebration.


	17. Chapter 17

Two Weeks Later 

Lily was standing in the kitchen of Justin's house. She had flown in as soon as Josh had called her. She was a little hurt when he never called her after she had been hit. She knew he knew, but as usuall he ignored it. She was crying because Josh was leaving and he was not to sure when they would be back. 

She was looking out the window when Justin walked in. She smiled and then laughed. She still couldn't believe his hair. 

"What?" 

"Nothing grumpy. Eat your cereal then we can talk." 

Justin did just that. Two bowls then he was his chipper self. 

"So excited about going?" 

"O yea. Man it is going to be so cool. Seeing places I only dreamed of. It's going to be da bomb." 

Lily raised an eyebrow. 

"Da bomb? Don't tell me your trying to go ghetto on me Timberlake. Because if you are you got another thing coming." 

Justin laughed. Lily was like a big sister to him. He really loved her. 

"So what are you going to do while we are gone?" 

She shrugged. 

"Miss him like crazy?" 

"Yea. Besides that?" 

She thought about it. 

"Probably go back to school. I took a year off so now I think I am ready to go." 

Justin nodded his head. 

"That sounds like a plan. Where as I get to have a tutor the whole time. It's going to be record, concert, photoshoot, classes sleep, ..ect. ect. ect." 

"Sounds busy. Busy but fun." 

All the rest of the guys sauntered into the kitchen. Each gave her a peck on the cheek. 

"Where's Josh?" 

"He is still sleeping." 

Lily rolled her eyes. She knew he would sleep in even if it was one of the most important days of his life. 

"I'll go get him." 

She walked up to the room that he was staying in. She opened the door and saw him sleeping. She walked over to the bed and watched him. 

"God do you even know how much I love you Joshua Scott?" 

At the sound of her voice Josh started to wake up. 

"Morning sleepy head. It's time to start the rest of your life." 

Josh sat up and looked at her. He grabbed her hand pulled her down on the bed. 

"You gonna be ok while I'm gone?" 

Lily looked at him funny. Josh knew something was seriously wrong, but he didn't know what. Lily knew this was her chance to spill about Corey. But she didn't. 

"Of course silly. I mean I will miss you terriably but I have Corey. I will be fine." 

Josh cringed inwardly at the mention of Corey. He knew instictivly that he was the casue of the feelings that he was getting from Lily. But he wasn't going to push her. 

"JC get your scrawny butt out of bed!!!" 

Lily laughed as they heard Joey yell from the bottom of the stairs. 

"Yea Yea Fatone I'm coming." 

Lily and Josh walk down the stairs. Everyone was waiting by the door. 

"Everyone know who there riding buddy is? We don't want anyone getting lost on the way boys and girls." 

Lily laughed and pulled on Chris's hair. 

"Yes goofball. You and JC are my buddies." 

Chris smiled and put his head on her shoulder. 

"Can I have her JC? Please?" 

JC just laughed and picked up his bag. 

"Come on Chris leave her alone and get in the car." 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

At the airport, Lynn and Lily walked to the gate where the guys were going to board. Both were crying already. 

"Ok guys, this fine lady is going to take a picture of all of us together. So let's get in formation." 

Everyone got set up. JC and Lily were standing behind Chris and Joey. JC grabbed her hand a squeezed it. She smiled as the flash went off. 

"Thank you." 

"No problem." Said the girl as she handed the camera back Lily. 

"Last call for flight 622." 

Everyone stood looking at each other. 

"Just one big group hug and then get on the plane ok?" 

"OK" All five guys said in unison and hugged Lynn. 

Each hugged Lily seperatly. Then they stood in front of her. 

"We got you something." 

They handed her a box. She opened it. It was a cell phone. 

"It is already pre-programed to all our phones. So you can call any of us. At anytime." 

Lily blinked back tears. 

"Thank you guys. This is so sweet of you." 

She gave them all one last hug as the each got on the plane. JC waited till last. 

"Well," 

"Well," 

They spoke at the same time. 

"I'm gonna miss you Lily Ann." 

"I'm gonna miss you more Joshua Scott." 

He pulled her into one last long hard hug and then made his way to the plane. AS he walking he could feel her crying. It made him want to turn around and not leave. He put his mind to ignoring it and made his way to his seat. next to Justin. 

"You feel her don't you?" 

"Shut up Justin. Not now." 

Josh closed his eyes and prayed that this thing would end so that he could get on with his life. He loved Lily, but this was getting ridiculus.


	18. Chapter 18

1996 

 

Lily awoke to the sound of the cell that the guys had given her ringing. She grabbed it. Praying that it ws Josh. Although after a year of him not talking to her she would be surprised. 

"Hello?" 

Justin sighed as hearh the expectenet tone in her voice. He just wished JC would get his head out of his butt and call her. 

"Hey Lily, it's me Justin." 

She smiled and laid back down on the bed. Justin called her at least once a week for the past year. Which was some consilation after Josh stopped. 

"Hey J what's up?" 

"Not to much. Just have an hour before we gotta go to a photo shoot. Wanted to see how you were doing?" 

Justin wanted to find out even if Josh didn't. About a month after they had got to Germany, Josh's premontions about Lily got worse. He never would call her. In fact he stopped calling all together. 

Lily stood up and looked in the mirror on her dresser. What could should tell him? Did she want to tell him? She was not going to be leaving the house today, she thought. She reached up and touched the twin bruises on her face. 

"I am doing good J. How bout you? You guys taking that side of the world by storm?" 

Justin laughed. 

"I guess you could say that. I just can't wait to get back home. We havent even had a chance to fly back for a visit. My mom was here about a week ago. I missed her really bad." 

"Awe sweetie. I know. Well who knows maybe you will get a vacation soon. Afterall you have been working for a year over there." 

"From your mouth to god ears." 

Lily laughed. She wanted to as about Josh. But she couldn't bring herself to. Josh knew something was wrong. he knew she needed him and was ignoring everything. Including her now. 

"Listen, I gotta get going and I think you might want to go back to bed." 

"Yor right about that. Tell the guys I said hi." 

"Can do. Luv ya girl." 

"Luv ya to Timberlake." 

Lily hung up the phone and went back to bed. She just wished things different between her and Josh. Josh could help her but he wouldn't even call her. She was not going to call him. If he felt even a quarter of what she did he would call. He was too wrapped up in his life now. He didn't need her anymore. LIly laid down on the bed and cried for the millionth time in the last year. 

 

~~~~ 

Justin hung up the phone and turned towards JC. JC looked up at him. 

"What?" 

Justin scoweled at him. 

"You know damn well what?" 

JC laughed. 

"Such language." 

"JC cut the crap. Call her. Something is terriably wrong. You KNOW that." 

JC looked up at Justin. He was not going to run everytime he felt something wrong with Lily. She was a big girl. 

"J, look. I can't run everytime I think Lily is having a problem. She is a big girl now. She can handle stuff on her own. I have my life to live and she has hers." 

"So this means you can't even talk to her anymore? You haven't said one word to her in a year. She has given up on you you know? She used to ask about you every phone call. now she don't even mention your name." 

JC let this sink in. He was aware that his actions pretty much ended their friendship. There was nothing else he could do. He had to focus on the band. On the music. 

"Well, I guess it's over then huh J. Just leave it alone already." 

He jumped up off the bed and went out the door. Justin sighed as he watched him leave. It was up to him to find out what was wrong with Lily. He would at least be there for her. 

~~~~~ 

 

Lily woke up the pounding of her door. She stood up and got a little dizzy. The pounding became insesint. 

"I'm coming for god sake. Hold your horses." 

She opend the door and there stood Corey with a dozen red roses and grin. Lily wondered how many more times she would take this from him. 

"Cor really I am not feeling good." 

He put his hand on her face. 

"I did that to you again. I am so sorry." 

Looking in his eyes on the days that he was sober, she could believe he was sorry. 

"Then quit drinking. If you are truly sorry then stop." 

Wrong thing to say. Corey shoved her in the house. She had never seen him like this when he was sober. She suddenly got very scared 

"How do you think I keep on loving you? I have to drink other wise when I look in your eyes all I see is Josh and how much you need him or love him or whatever." 

Lily just stood there opened mouth. 

"Well maybe we should have talked about it. If you had a problem you should say something. not drink yourself to the point were you beat the tar out of me!!" 

Corey came and got right in her face. 

"Why should we talk. All you would say is he is my best friend. That's all Corey. Nothing to worry about Corey. it's all big lie. You love JC. Not me. You want JC. Not me. But I won't give you up. I would kill you first." 

He turned and stormed out of the house. Lily had to get out of this relationship. Fast. She just didn't know how. Without Corey she had no one. Especially since Josh seemed to give her up as well.


	19. Chapter 19

The guys were all sitting at a table waiting. There was some special meeting called and they had to be at this resturaunt by 9AM. So here they were drinking their coffee. 

"Hey guys." 

"Hey" 

Their assistant Carrie walked in and she sat down. She handed each guy an envelope. When they looked at her funny she just smiled. 

"Just open them will ya. There not pink slips or anything bad." 

Each guy tore into theirs. Each guys mouth dropped when they saw what was inside. Each had a plane ticket home and a letter from Lou. They got to go home for a week. They had week to go home. 

Justin stood up and grabbed Carrie and swung her around. 

"That's enough J. PUT ME DOWN!!" When he had settled back down into his seat she spoke. 

"All your flights leave tomorrow morning. So be packed and ready by 5:30. A car will be at the hotel to take you. Any questions?" 

All the guys shook their heads. 

"Ok good then. Finish your breakfast and then get over to the studio. We are gonna finish up the video today." 

~~~ 

Lily woke up with a start. She thought the door to her bedroom was being opened. She laid back down and started to cry. When had she become one if those girls who let herself be abused by her boyfriend? When had she become so weak? She closed her eyes. She knew the answer. She had never been strong. It was Josh who had given her strength. Held her up when she was in trouble. Now he wasn't doing that. he was letting her flounder all on her own.

Since the confrontation two months previously, Corey had gotten worse. She had to go to the hospital at least twice with a broken arm. Once because he stabbed her. She had determined then to stop him, but he was always with her when she went. To make sure she wouldn't say anything. 

Karen knew what was going but Lily made her swear not to tell Josh. She promised that she would tell him herself. 

"The hell I will!!" Lily said out loud. Over the last two months she had worked her self into a fine rage at Josh. She wasn't going to tell him anything. Ever again for that matter. 

 

~~~~ 

The plane ride home was calm. JC and Justin were on the same flight. 

"So JC are you gonna talk to her?" 

JC still had his eyes closed. He didn't even pretend to not know who Justin was tallking about. He didn't even call Lily to tell him he was going to be home. He was kinda hoping that he could be home and she would never know. 

"Maybe." 

Justin looked at JC with an open mouth. 

"What the heck do you mean MAYBE? JC she is or at least was you bes friend. You can't be home and not see her. That would be the worst thing you could ever do." 

JC didn't answer him. He just kept his eyes closed and tried to sleep. 

~~~~ 

Lily decided to take a walk. She needed air and Corey was gone for a few days so she could get some breathing room. She stood up and winced in pain. He had wanted her to sleep with him the night before because he was going to be gone, but she refused. She still had some pride. She would never sleep with him. Never. 

She made the mistake of saying those exact words and had gotten herself kicked in the ribs several times for her effort. She didn't think any were broken, they just hurt like heck. She made her way to the front door and put her sneakers on. 

She locked the door and started walking. She was auto pilot and didn't realize she had walked to Josh's house unitl she looked up to see in the living room window. 

What she saw in there turned her feelings for Josh, from love and caring to white hot rage and hatred. They always said that the flip side of love is hate. Now she believed them. She hated him. Hated him with all her being. 

'How could he?" She though to herself. She stood there another few seconds making sure it was him. It was. Josh was home. Home and he never even told her. Called her. Anything. 

She slowly turned around and started back home. The pain she felt was worse than any that Corey could have inflicted. She let the tears fall as she walked. 

~~~~ 

 

Josh stopped drinking as soon as he felt it. A different feeling. A dull ache in the region of his heart. Then he slowly turned and looked out the window. He saw her. The dull ache turned into an unberable pain. 

'She hates me.' He knew. She hated him. She had seen him and knew that he was home. Now she hated him. 

"Mom. I am going to go lay down." 

Karen looked at her son. He seemed to get pale all of sudden. 

"Are you OK dear?" 

"I'm just tired." 

He turned and walked to what used to be his old room. He laid down on the bed and started crying. He lost her. Justin was right. He messed with something and he lost her. He didn't think a person could have the pain he had but he did.


	20. Chapter 20

6 Months later 

 

Josh sat right up in bed. They were in Sweden somewhere. Something was really wrong with Lily. Very wrong. Even tho he knew she hated him, the connection was still there. He went to grab the phone and then stopped. Justin. Justin would call her. 

 

~~~~ 

"COREY get away from me!!" Lily yelled as he lunged at her with a knife. He had come from a party and was drunk. As usuall. 

"You will sleep with me if I have to make you!!" 

Lily ran into the kitchen and grabbed knife as well. She needed something to protect her. She then ran into the bedroom. She was going to hide in the closet when she felt him grab her hair. She screamed in pain. The cut on her face was bleeding and now he was pulling her hair out. 

"YOu coming with me." 

He drug her into the living room. Then he threw her on the couch. He was about to get on her when she swiped the knife across his face. 

"You little *****. You will pay for that." 

He lunged the knife into her stomach. He pullled it out to lunge it into her one more time. 

"I told you I would kill you first before I would let you go." 

Just as he was about to put the knife in her she kicked him. It hurt and took a lot of effort but she was rewarded with him banging his head against her iron coffee table. 

She slimbed off of the couch holding the wound in her stomach with her hand. She crawled over to Corey. She though he was unconscience. Instead she found out that he was dead. 

She screamed and reared back. When he hit his head a piece of the glass got lodged in to the base of his kneck. 

"O my god. I killed him. Killed him." 

She heard the sounds of sirens outside her door. She scooted up against the wall watched as blood seeped from Corey's head. Just as the paramedics came in she passsed out and said Josh's name outloud. 

~~~~ 

"Justin wake up!!" JC shook Justin as hard as he could. 

"WHAT!?!?!" 

"You need to call Lily." 

Justin sat up in bed. This was the first time in six months that JC had even mentioned her name. 

"Why?" 

"Something is wrong. I mean this is the worst feeling I have ever got. Something very very bad has happened." 

Justin blinked and looked at the time. He grabbed his cell and dialed hers. He let it ring and ring. 

"She's not home." 

JC started to pace the floor. Something was wrong. He had to find out what. 

~~~~~ 

They took Lily right into surgery. Corey was dead. But it wasn't the hit on the head. It was a heart attack. The doctors told his family that his drinking had made his system so weak that he could not handle the stress of the situation. 

In the waiting room Josh's parents and Sara's both waited. Karen debated calling Josh and telling him. But things with him and Lily had been off kilter for awhile s she would wait to see what Lily wanted to do. 

Sara was crying in her husbands arms. "Why didn't she tell anyone what was going on? Why did she stay with him?" 

"Excuse us Mr., Mrs. Turner," 

They look up to see two men in suits standing over them. They stand up. 

"I'm Detective Anderson and this is my partner Detective Jones. We need to sak you some questions." 

Sara looked at her husband. 

"Ok." 

"Did Lily have a history of violence?" 

"WHAT!?!? NO for god's sake." 

"Calm down ma'am. It's just that we found a journal in Mr. Adams car. It documents certain things. According to this Lily has hit him before." 

Sara looked at the officer with an open mouthed stare. Karen stood up next to her. 

"Sir, I don't think..." 

"Who are you ma'am?" 

"I am Karen Chasez. I am her best friend. Lily and my son Josh were born on the same day. I can attest to the fact that Lily is not a violent person. And whatever happened last night was in slef defense." 

"We also talked to his parents. They said he had a drinking problem. But he had never been violent. They say that Lily, was less than honerable in the relationship." 

Sara couldn't believe what was happening. 

"Are you accusing my daughter of murder?" 

The detectives looked from the husband to the wife. 

"All we are doing now is investigating. Thank you for your time." 

All the four of them could do was watch as they left. All feeling helpless. Knowing Lily was going to have to fight a bigger battle than Corey alive. Fighting Corey dead was going to be the hardest thing yet.


	21. Chapter 21

While Lily was in the hospital recovering, the detectives talked to her. All she could tell them was she never hit him. She told them about the other stab wound and the broken bones. There really was no proof except her word. Corey on the other hand seemed to have thought of everything. He faked a whole journal full of stuff. 

She really didn't think that anything else could surprise her. Then there was knock on the door. She was at her moms house because she could not live in her apartment anymore. 

She opened the door. The two detectives and a uniformed police officer were standing there. 

"May I help you?" 

"Yes. You are under arrest for the murder of Corey Adam. You have the right to remain silent..." 

She zoned out the rest of what he was saying. She was being arrested. For murder. 'O Josh where are you when I need you?' There were still moments when she would call to him even tho he wouldn't answer. This was one of those moments and one of the times her hatred was reinforced. 

~~~~~ 

 

Sara was pacing around Karen's kitchen. Lily had been in jail for over a week. They were waiting. Waiting for bail to be set. Karen wanted to call Josh to tell him what was going, but Lily made her swear not to tell him. She would tell him when she was ready. 

When the phone rang Karen jumped up to get it. 

"Hello? Ok. Thank you." 

Karen looked at Sara. "The bail hearing had been set for tomorow at 8AM." 

Sara set down on the chair and started to cry. 

"Shh. Shh. Sara I know this is hard. But we will ge through it together." 

 

~~~~ 

Lily sat on her cot and looked around her. She could not believe what was happening. When the lawyer showed her pictures, pictures of the so- called wounds that she had given Corey she had become livid. He had set her up. Somehow he had made this her fault. 

Maybe it was. After all Corey was very hurt by her relationship with Josh. She shook her head. Hind sight is 20/20 they say. She looked at the clock on the wall outside her cell. It was almost time for her phone call for the day. She had decided to call Justin. She needed to talk to someone and he was always there for her. 

"Miss Turner, would you like to make a phone call today?" 

"Yes I would. Thank you Sally." 

Sally smiled at the young girl. She had seen her share of criminals over the years and this Miss Turner was not one. She just hoped that she would get out of this. 

~~~~ 

 

Jusitn took a second to realize that his call was ringing. He looked at his watch. It was really early so he wondered who would be calling. 

"Hello?" 

Lily chuckeld. 

"Hey sleepy head." 

"Lily? Is that you?" 

Justin couldn't believe it. He had been trying get a hold of her for a month. 

 

"Yea J it's me. I need to talk to you. Make sure your awake and listening to me Justin. This all very important." 

The tone of her voice made him wake up very quickly. 

"Ok you have my full attention." 

Lily sighed. 

"You also have to promise not to say anything at all to Josh about this. I don't want him knowing at all." 

Justin didn't know what to do, Josh wants to know what is going on. But Lily sounded dead serious. 

"I promise Lily." 

"Ok. Then, are you sitting?" 

~~~~~ 

Justin hung up the phone an hour later in tears. Lily. He sat on the edge of the bed and cried. His poor sweet Lily. No one should ever have to go through what she was. And alone with no friends. He could kill JC. If JC hadn't been so pig headed he might have know what was going on she wouldn't be goign through this. 

She needed someone with her. But he couldn't leave right now. She had promised to call him and let him know when the trial was. Maybe then he could get away. 

He grabbed his phone. His mom would go to her. Lily and his mom were friends.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22 

"Bail is set for $65,000. Court is ajourned." 

Lily blinked as the gavel hit the desk.'Where were the going to come up with $65,000.' As the gaurds pulled her back to her cell she turned and smiled at her parents and at Josh's parents. They smiled back. 

As Lily's parents were leaving they were stopped by a woman. 

"Are you Lily's parents?" 

"Yes we are. Can we help you?" 

"LYNN what are you doing here?" 

Lynn looked up to Karen next to Sara. 

"My ever loving son. He called in reinforcements for Lily." 

Sara and her husband were looking confused. 

"I'm Lynn Harless. Justin Timberlakes mom." 

"Oh. Nice to meet you." 

"Let us all go to lunch and discuss this matter a little more in depth shall we." 

Ten minitues later all five of them were sitting in the back of a resturaunt to discuss what to do next. 

"Justin told me to use all his resources to help. Meaning money. You need money to get that girl out an you got it. Then we can all start working to get her out of this mess." 

Sara was crying and had her head on her husbands shoulder. 

Karen looked at Lynn. It was amazing the things that she would do for Justin or any of his friends. 

"Does Josh know what is going on?" 

Lynn shook her head. 

"Lily made Justin promise not to tell him." 

Karen nodded her head. Same thing with her. Lily did not want him knowing. Anything. 

" OK so where do we get a cashiers check around here? We have a girl to get out of jail." 

 

Sara smiled weakly at Lynn. Maybe, just maybe, they could get out of this. 

 

~~~~ 

 

Justin was pacing around back stage. He still hadn't heard from his mom. Not since she told him that she had bailed Lily out. 

"Justin what is your problem?" 

He stopped as he looked at JC and scoweled at him. JC had no idea what Justin's problem was but for the last three weeks he has been mean to him. So, JC walked up and grabbed Justin's arm. 

"Do you mind telling me what the heck your problem is?" 

Justin shot daggers from his eyes. 

"There is nothing wrong. Nothing at all." 

Justin pulled his arm out of JC's grasp an left. JC just shook his head and made his way to the stage to check on a few things. 

~~~~ 

 

"What we need to find is some evidence that he hit you. That he abused you." 

Lily stood up pacing. 

"How am I going to do that? He never hit me in public. As least that I remember." 

Anne Hobes was her lawyer. She felt so bad for this girl. Anne was convinced that Lily did nothing wrong. Corey had done an excellent job in covering his butt. He was exacting a jealous revenge from Lily even after his death. He was a sick boy. 

Anne's thoughts were interrupted by her phone ringing. 

"Hello?" 

Lily watched as she scribbled something down. 

"Ok Thank you." 

Anne looked up to see Lily looking at her. 

"Your trial has been set. In two weeks." 

Lily sat down. They had two weeks to find something. Anything that would put Corey under suspicion.


	23. Chapter 23

JC still had the feeling that something was terriably wrong. The feeling that he got over three months ago has never left him. Lily was in serious trouble. 

He walked into the hotel room that he was sharing with Justin to see him packing. 

"Where are you going?" 

Justin looked up. He had just got talking to everyone about having a week or two off. He told them he had a family emergency. It helped that his mom called with a reason. The real one being he wanted to be with Lily during the trial. 

"I gotta go home for a little bit. There was a family emergency and my mom needs me." 

JC suddenly got worried. 

"Is everything going to be ok?" 

"I hope so. That's why I am going home. To help out for a little bit. Everything will be ok here. We don't have any concerts for the next week anyways, and the interviews and stuff can be handled without me." 

He looked at his watch. 

"Hey I gotta go. I will be back as soon as I can." 

Justin left as fast as he could for fear that he would spill the whole thing to JC. 

~~~~~ 

In the front row of the courthouse sat Lynn , Justin, Lily's parents. Lily turned and smiled at them. She had been surprised to see Justin on her doorstep that morning. But she was glad. She needed a friend. Karen and her husband were busy pouring over old vidieos of the last three years to see if anything could be found incriminating against Corey. 

Lily looked straight ahead at the bench where the judge would be sitting. Even now her thougths were turning to Josh. She closed her eyes and sighed. She opened them as the balif announced the entrance of the judge. 

~~~~~~~ 

 

One week later things were not looking good for Lily. All of Corey's family testified against her. They had all "seen" what Lily did to him. They had proof in his writings. 

Lily was sitting in her room and there was a knock on then door. Justin came walking in. 

"Find anything yet?" 

"Nope. And we have been over almost every tape and picture we have." 

She sat on the bed with a sigh. 

 

"Maybe we should get JC to help us." 

"NO WAY. NO. I don't want him helping me. No more. Ever again. If his precious carreer is so damn important he can have it. Let the world have him. I don't want him anymore." 

Justin let the subject drop. He was doing everything in his power to help. He only had one week left to be there and they needed to find what they were looking for. 

"Are there anymore boxs of stuff that you brought from your apartment?" 

"Only one and I was going to start looking at it before you showed up." 

She walked over and opened the box. Inside was just a bunch of stuff that she had thrown in as she was walking out the door one day before she moved. 

"Hey look I found another video. I have no clue what is on it." 

"Well, throw it over here and we can check it out." 

Justin puts it in the VCR and hits play. Both his and Lily's drop to the floor. She was saved. Then she started to cry. Corey was really sick. 

~~~~~~ 

 

"Objection. We were not informed of any video." 

"Your honor, my client just found the video last night when she was going through her stuff. I didn't even know about it until two hours ago." 

The judge thought a second. 

"Overruled." 

Lily smiled at her hands as the rolled a tv and vcr over to the center of the courtroom. Anne hit play on the romote. As it started there was a collcetive gasp from the crowd. It was Corey. He had video taped himself at Lily's house. 

"So you won't love me like you love him? Right Lily. Right. Maybe I will just have to kill you then. Hmmmm Maybe." 

It showed his walking around her apartment mumbling stuff that was in coherent. He had taken a picture of Lily and Josh and broke it to peices. 

Lily had always wondered what happened to that picture. As the video came to an end the courtroom was filled with silence. 

"Your Witness." 

The prosecuter stood up. 

"No further questions." 

Everyone knew that Lily was free. 

 

~~~~ 

 

Josh stopped in his tracks on his way to Joey's room. Lily was ok. Something happened but it was all good now. He shook his head. He still needed to talk to her. Someday. Someday he would fix things with her.


	24. Chapter 24

1997 

Justin looked at JC sitting next to him. They were all on their way back to the states. Everyone was exhausted. They had acquired a following while overseas. They were in fact one of the hottest bands in Germany and such countries. They would actually get breathing room once they were back in the US because they were not as popular there yet. 

So, they would get to go home for a little bit, then work on promoting NSYNC in the US. 

"JC are you finally going to talk to her when we get home or what?" 

JC shrugged his shoulders. He had no clue. He hadn't spoken to her in over two years. He had wanted to a million times but never got the guts. 

"I am sure she don't want to talk to me J." 

Justin nodded his head. That was a true statement. In fact, when he had called her to tell her that they were coming home, she made it perfectly clear that JC was to stay in Orlando for all she cared. 

"Well, can you blame her really? She is completely aware that you ignore whatever it is that you have with each other. Maybe something serious happened and she needed you. Maybe needed you badly and you chose to ignore it. And her in the process." 

JC sighed. This was not the first time Justin made these points. They were just as valid as they were the last five hundred times. 

"Look, J. Lily is my problem. I know she is your friend and all but when it comes to her and I just leave it be. Besides it's not like she is all alone. My parents are there and hers. And of course Corey." 

Justin looked out the window. It still amazed him how after a year JC still had no clue about everything that went down . Lily had said she would tell him. When she wanted to. Justin found out that she was never going to want to. 

"Fine I will leave it be as you say. But going to your mom's house is probably going to be a picnic with your attitude." 

~~~~~~ 

Lily was pacing in her bedroom. She still hadn't got another apartment. She was still very scared to be alone. She ended up missing a whole year of school. With the trial and everything that went down her nerves had been shot. 

She had decided to go to the local community college that way she could just stay home and commute. Now her life was going to be upset again because HE was coming home. She never she could end up hating someone as much as she hate Josh. But she did, and he was coming home. 

Her only hope was that he decided to keep his sorry ass in Orlando. Otherwise she would really murder someone. It had been over two years and not one single phone call. Letter. Not even a freakin email. They guys had sent her a copy of the CD they recorded while in Sweden. They all signed it. Except the ass. He didn't sign it. 

She sat down on the bed. She looked at the clock by her bed. The guys would be landing in about two hours. Justin had promised to call as soon as they all got to Lynn's house. 

She laid on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. She had a terrible feeling that thing with Josh was not done yet. 'Of course it's not done you still have to kill him,' she thought to herself. She sat back up and grabbed the CD that they had given her. She put in her player and hit play. 

The CD was actually pretty good. She started dancing around and then stopped and looked at herself in the mirror. 

"Great, Lily. Your dancing around like a teenager. And now I am talking to myself in the mirror." She turned back around and continued dancing and singing alone to her favorite on the CD. Tearing Up My Heart. 

'O yea,' she thought, 'the kiddies are gonna love my boys that's for sure. Absolutely love them.'


	25. Chapter 25

6 Months Later 

"We are gonna do WHAT?!?!?!" Justin screamed. 

"Calm down Justin." 

"CALM DOWN? CALM DOWN? You do know what this could mean for us right? I mean a Disney Special. This could make or break us guys." 

Justin and the other guys were just informed by Lynn that they were going to perform for the Disney Channel. From Disney World. 

All five guys sat on the couch in stunned silence. When they had got back home Lou had told them they had a couple of months to regroup and then they were going to promote the heck out of themselves. They had already graced the cover of a couple of teeny bopper mags and had some small gigs around Orlando. But nothing this big. 

From what Lynn gathered is that another band, The Backstreet Boys were supposed to do the special but had to back out for some reason. There had been rumors of people pitting the The Backstreet Boys and NSYNC against each other. 

Lou had assured them that was not the case. Lou was responsible for both bands. He said that all the guys from both groups "were like my own kids." Lynn didn't believe that hogwash for a second but she didn't let the kids know that she didn't trust Lou Pearlman about as far as you could throw him. 

"Lou wants you guys rehearsing in the morning because you have only two weeks to get ready." 

All five guys look at each other. 

"Well guys I guess we find out if we got what it takes to make it." 

JC smiled at Chris. Sometimes he could be such a kid, but deep down he was just as committed as the rest of them. 

"I am off to call my parents." 

"Yea me too. 

"Me three." 

JC laughed as Lance, Joey and the Chris all got up. 

"My mom already knows." 

JC slapped Justin in the back of the head. 

"DUH!" 

"Are you gonna go call mommy and daddy too JC?" 

JC nodded. To be truthful the first person he thought about calling was Lily. Lily would be so proud of him. Well, is she didn't hate him so much she would be proud. Her hatred of him was a feeling he had gotten used to over the past three years. It was a dull ache in the region of his heart and he was to hard headed to try and make things right. 

"Yea I will call my mom and dad." 

"Cool. I am gonna call Lily." 

Justin jumped and ran out of the room so didn't notice how the mention of her name made JC tear up. 'God, I really do miss her.' He wiped the tears off of his face and went to make his call. 

 

~~~~ 

 

Lily scowled again. 'What the heck is Josh crying for now?' She still was connected to him. That was one thing that never changed. She had just taken a page out of Josh's book. Ignore it and it will go away. Well, not really go away but you could live with it. 

She was trying to read a page in her book. She had a final and needed a good grade on it. She looked up when her cell rang. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey Lil, it's J." 

"J sweetie what's up? You sound happy." 

"O we are. Let me tell you." 

~~~~ 

She was so excited for the guys. Even JC. This was his dream and he was living it. No sooner had she got off the phone with Justin that the rest of the guys, minus JC of course, called her. 

All of them wanted her to come down for the filming. She told them she couldn't because unlike some people she lived in the real world. Which consisted of final exams. She did promise to watch it. 

Two weeks later she was sitting in front of the TV with her mom and dad and a bunch of Josh's relatives. Including his parents. 

Truth be known she was scared to death to watch it. She hadn't even seen a picture of JC since the album. She didn't want too. By this time they had kinda a following so they were starting to get on the cover of magazines. She never looked. She had wanted to. To check on the other guys but she didn't want to see Josh..or JC as the world was calling him now...and his blue eyes looking at from the magazines. 

She looked at the TV and was mezmorized by how the guys looked. How they performed. How they sang. How they worked the audience. 'JC was made for this,' Lily thought to herself. As was Justin, Joey and Chris. Poor Lance had a little more work to do. But had come a long way since she had seen him before they left for Germany. 

After the show was done, Lily walked back to her house. She really didn't want to socialize. Having seen JC had really shaken her up more than she thought it would. She went to her hammock and looked up at the sky. She started to cry. 'Where did my Josh go?' She asked herself as she let the tears that she had been holding back for years fall from her eyes. 

~~~ 

JC had just walked outside and looked up at the night sky. He knew that Lily was watching the sky then as well. He also felt her crying. He himself felt like crying. 'How did I let things get like this with us Lily?' He let the tears fall from his eyes. 

Justin had followed JC out. He stopped when he saw him crying. 

"JC?" 

JC looked up at Justin. 

"She loved me J. She loved me and I let her down. Lily should have been with me. What happened to her J? Something happened a year and a half ago. I know it did. No one will tell me anything." 

Justin turned from his gaze. 

"That is for Lil, to tell you JC. I am not the one to tell you." 

JC looked down at the ground. He always had the feeling that Justin knew more than he was telling. 

"I can tell you she is better now. Everything is OK now." 

"Like that is supposed to make me feel better? I should have helped her. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITH HER!!" 

"JC clam down. It might not be to late. You should talk to her. You have a chance ya know. Next week. Remember your parents are having a cook out for all of us. She will probably be there." 

JC shook his head. 

"No she won't. My mom said she told Lily about it. Lily don't want to see me." 

Justin sighed. He knew this was going to be hard because he knew that JC would break down eventually and realize what he had done. Lily was to hurt and pissed to care at the moment. 

"You are just going to have to try JC. Just try and talk to her."


	26. Chapter 26

JC stood looking out at the all the people at the picnic. Everyone was there except the one person he wanted to be there. 

"Josh honey? What's wrong?" 

JC looked at his mom. 

"It's Lily. She should be here. I mean god, she means so much to me." 

Karen walked up to him. 

"I know she does. But she doesn't know that. She hasn't for three years Josh. Three years." 

JC looked down at his shoe. He had to go see her. 

"Mom.." 

"I know dear. Go." 

JC ran out of the house and followed a path he had followed many times in the past. It led right to Lily's door. 

~~~ 

Lily stopped exercising. She was doing everything she could to NOT run to the picnic when she got the feeling that JC was on his way. 'I am not ready to see him yet,' she thought to herself. 

She looked around and had no place to hide. So she opted for taking a shower. She could at least prolong the inevitable a little bit. 

When JC walked into her room, he was immedialty swept into the past. To a time when things were less complicated. Less busy. Back to when it was just Josh and Lily. He sat on the edge of her bed and smiled. He knew what she was doing. He would just wait. 

Thirty minutes later, Lily had her hand on the bathroom door. Knowing that JC was still sitting on her bed, she was nervous. To open the bathroom door, meant opening a pandora's box. 

She sighed heavily and opened the door and look directly at him. Time stood still. JC couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. His eyes looked her up and down. His heart screamed out to her. He slowly stood up and started towards her. 

"One more step and I will knock your ass so hard you will be back in Germany." 

She said it with such a deadly calm that he stopped. They stood there looking at each other few more seconds. 

"What do you want JC?" 

JC blinked. Her voice was pure ice. What hurt even more than he thought it would, was that she called him JC. Not Josh. JC. 

"Lily, I don't know what to say. I am sorry." 

Lily snorted her disbelief as she walked past him to her desk. She turned and leaned back against. Her hand resting on an envelope. 

"Sorry huh? Well that's nice. Really it is. I don't know what to say about that." 

She stood looking at him thoughtfully for a moment. This was a Lily JC had never seen. She made him really nervous. 

"O yea how bout I DON"T GIVE A DAMN!! Yea I think that's what I am supposed to say." 

Lily ****ed her head to one side and gave him the fakest smile he had ever seen. 

"Lily, despite what my actions might indicate, I have never forgotten about you." 

"No. You just ignore me for three years. It would be bad enough not to call me or anything like that, if we were normal, but we had something different, something special. We had a friendship that no one else on this earth has ever had. You just didn't ignore me JC. You killed me." 

Lily didn't want to cry. She was trying her best to hold them in. 

"I am sorry Lily. You just don't understand. I know we had something..have...a connection or whatever you want to call it. I know that. I just didn't know how to handle it. God, I was young. Then I got busy. Things got hectic. I felt that..that it would just get in the way. It wasn't all fun and games while I was gone you know." 

This statement made Lily's eyes go even colder. JC took a step back. 

"O really. Well I have news for you JC....the last three years of my life have been a living hell. Care to look at something?" 

Without waiting for him to answer she pulled her shirt up and showed him her stomach. She had three huge scars from where Corey had stabbed her. 

JC's eyes got wide. 

"Lily, what happened?"


	27. Chapter 27

"SO you care now, huh?" 

"Lily I have always cared. WHAT HAPPENED!?!?!?" 

Lily squinted her eyes at him. She picked up the envelope. It contained every article, letter everything from the trial. 

"Here. Read this and then get out. After you read that you will know why I hate you JC. Why I never want to speak to you again. Why your promises, like the promise of always being there for me so I won't be hurt mean absolutely nothing to me anymore." 

JC picked up the envelope. He took out the first picture and article. He couldn't believe what he was reading. Corey had abused her. Beat her. Almost killed her. His Lily. 

He walked over to the bed a leafed through the rest of the articles. Then he started to cry when he read the ones about Lily being accused of Corey's murder. The trial. Everything. He ignored it. He...he didn't know what to say. 

"Lily..you should have called me. You should have let mom tell me." 

"Why? I mean you knew there was something wrong. You chose to ignore it and live your life. Who was I to stop you? I, obviously, am nobody." 

JC looked at the last article more closely. The dates. Something about the dates. Then it hit him. 

"Justin was with you wasn't he. That's what is family emergency was. You. He came for you." 

Lily just looked at him. 

"At least somebody did. Now go JC. There really is nothing more to say." 

JC got mad. Mad at himself. Mad at Justin. Mad at Lily. 

"My name is Josh when I am here." 

Lily shook her head. 

"Not anymore. To the world you are JC. JC is who you wanted to be. JC is who you are. Josh left about three years ago." 

JC didn't know what else to say. She been beat, practicly raped and killed. She was accused of murder and was in jail. He knew something was wrong. He had chosen to be JC. He ignore what Josh and Lily had. 

He turned to leave and then looked at her one more time. 

"Lily, I promise. I swear to you..even if it don't mean anything to you right now, I will be that man again. I will be your Josh again. I won't let you down ever again." 

He walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He tasted her tears as they mingled with his. Looked her in the eyes for a moment longer and then left. 

Lily was left standing staring after him. That kiss, even being a kiss on the cheek, moved her clear to her toes. She threw herself on the bed and screamed. 

"How the heck can you be in love with and hate a person at the same time?" She asked out loud knowing she would never find the answer. Because she had been trying to for three years. 

~~~~ 

 

JC, while walking home got himself into such a rage that as soon as he saw Justin he grabbed and dragged him into the house. He was so mad he was shaking. 

"Why the hell didn't you say anything?" 

Justin looked him in the eye. 

"Because she didn't want me too. I made a promise and I kept it." 

Justin couldn't have known how those words would effect JC. JC lost it. He sat on the floor of the living room and sobbed. He let three years of guilt and fear escape. Justin got down there with him and held him while he cried. 

"Justin, he almost killed her. KILLED her and I did nothing. She went to jail. I did nothing."   
Justin blinked back tears as he held JC.


	28. Chapter 28

1999 

Lily was sitting in the kitchen in disbelief. "Your kidding right mom?" 

Sara shook her head. "No. That's what the letter said. They sent the keys along with it." 

Lily still could not believe it. Her great aunt had died a couple weeks ago. Lily and her aunt Helen had been close. They didn't get to see each other a whole lot because Helen lived in Montana. With her son and daughter in law. Lily had flown out to the funeral a week ago and no idea that she was even in her Aunt's will. 

Lily picked up the letter and read it again. 

Lily,   
I know this may come as a surprise to you, but I have a house in Orlando, FL. I talked to my son and he said he had no problem with me leaving it to you. I know you never knew I had a house in Florida. I am never there because that is where my James died. I figured you would like to be close to your Joshua. I haven;t been to the house since James died. So enjoy the house and have a happy life my sweet Lily. I will always be with you. 

Love,   
Aunt Helen 

Lily again started to cry. She had read the letter a few hundred times and was shocked every time. 

"So it's mine? No questions asked? Nothing to be done.?" 

Sara smiled. "Yup. In fact everything is in this envelope. The deed. Tax information. All of it." 

Lily picked up the envelope. She had thought about moving to Orlando. But with whole JC thing she changed her mind. Now tho, JC and her were working things out. After she told him everything that happened he did everything in his power to let her know that she was important to him. 

It took almost a year but Lily started to let him back in, and now two years later things were pretty much back to normal. She still hurt if she thought about those years but she rarely gave them much thought. JC had gone with her to her Aunt's funeral. He had talked to her a couple of times on the phone before she died. Helen liked JC. 

So, now the appeal of moving to Orlando was back. Besides JC and the guys were going through some stuff and JC needed her. They were having a huge court battle. Lou Pearlman turned out to be a big jerk. Now, the guys were fighting to get what was rightfully theirs. Money and their name. 

She had been so pissed when JC had told her that Lou said they couldn't keep the name NSYNC if they left him. It was so not fair. They guys were pretty much stuck in Orlando until this stuff was worked out. All this meant a huge delay in a new album. That is what upset the guys the most. They wanted to make music and now they couldn't. 

"Mom, I am going to go call JC and tell him about this." 

Lily took the cordless phone and went out to her hammock. Even before she dialed his number the phone was ringing. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey Lil, it's me JC. You were going to call?" 

She laughed. JC had gone from one extreme to the other. He now called for almost every little thing he felt. 

"JC..sometimes.." 

"Sometimes what?" 

She heard the laughter in his voice. 

"Just sometimes. Yea I was going to call you. You will never guess what I just found out!" 

JC smiled at the excited tone in her voice. He was so happy to hear that she was happy again. After the last few years he didn't think he would ever be able to hear her voice like that again. It took a lot of work on his part but he and Lily got back what he had almost completely destroyed. He had his best friend back. 

"OK I give up. What?" 

"Well, my aunt Helen left me a house when she died." 

"REALLY? Where?" 

"In Orlando." 

JC didn't know what to say. 

"Wow, Lily thats cool. What are you going to do with it?" 

"Well, I was wondering what you thought about me living down there? I had thought about moving down there before..but..well I changed my mind. But now I think I would like that." 

Lily wanted so bad for JC to tell her that he would love that, because he loved her, but she knew he would never say that. He didn't love her. At least not like she loved him. 

JC could tell right away something mad her sad. 

"Lily what's wrong? You got sad all of a sudden?" 

Lily sighed. JC was really worried about her, but she could not come right out and say 'I love you and want you that's what the problem is' She couldn't do that. She didn't want to ruin what they took so long to fix. 

"Oh I just miss Aunt Helen." 

JC knew she was lying but she always did when he asked her about why she got sad sometimes. He had the feeling it was about him. He just didn't know what for sure. 

"So JC, about me moving down there? Good or bad idea?" 

JC thought it was a great idea. The thought of being able to see anytime he wanted made his heartbeat skip a little. He was not going to analyze that for fear of what it would mean. 

"I think you should. Besides Justin would absolutely love it if you were here. He is always complaining about not see you as much as he would like." 

Lily smiled. Her and Justin had become so close after everything that happened that she couldn't see her life without him. Plus, he was the only one that knew how she really felt about JC. 

"Well, then maybe we should give Curly, what he wants then." 

JC swallowed. He really wondered how close Lily and Justin were at times. When they were together, sometimes JC would get small feelings of jealousy. He pushed them down as soon as they showed because the only reason to be jealous of someone, was if you were in love. He was, as he assured himself many times, NOT in love with Lily. 

"Well then do you want me to tell him or you?" 

"How about neither. I will just surprise him. Besides, according to all my info, the house is ready to move into. Helen had been renting it and the people just moved out. Helen also had her sone fly in about a week before she died to make sure everything was in working order AND, get this, furnish every room in the house. All I have to do is decorate the walls and stuff the way I want." 

Lily was starting to cry. She had no idea why Helen would do all of this for her. 

"Lily sweetie, I know. She loved you. You know that. She wanted you to be happy." 

"I know JC, I know. It's all just...strange." 

JC laughed. 

"Um Lily I do believe there are stranger things in this world then your aunt leaving you a house." 

Lily had to laugh to because he was so right. Take their relationship for one. It was the strangest thing around.


	29. Chapter 29

2000 

 

JC was pacing around the living room of his apartment. Lily was moving in that night and he still needed to tell her about something. Or someone. He slammed himself on the couch. 

'What was I thinking?' It had been the first time in years that JC had kept something from Lily. But, he just couldn't tell her right away. He rubbed his eyes and leaned his head back. 

It took about 6 months for Lily to get everything ready to move. She had to finish some classes and help her mom and dad move. They had bought a smaller house. So now here it was, she was moving and didn't know about Bobbie. 

Bobbie knew about Lily however and wanted to meet her. JC didn't know what his problem was. Every time he got a girlfriend he was terrified to tell Lily. He didn't know why. 

He picked his head back up off the couch and stood up as he heard a car horn honk. JC smiled knowing that Justin was waiting for him. Justin still had no idea that Lily was moving to Orlando. 

JC walked out the door and jumped into Justin's waiting Mercedes. 

"So JC, what is the big surprise?" 

"Nope. Not telling you. It's a secret." 

Justin sighed. For the last week he had been trying to get out of JC what was going on. But he wouldn't budge. 

"OK then. Where are we going?" 

JC smiled and handed Justin a piece of paper with Lily's address on it. The rest of the guys got their earlier. She somehow coeherced Lance, Joey, Chris AND their assortment of bodyguards to help move everything in. When JC was there a couple hours beforehand the guys had just sat down to have some ice tea and sandwiches. 

"What is in that part of town?" 

JC shrugged. "I can't tell you." he closed his eyes and laid his head back on the seat. 

Justin was scowling. He hated secrets. More to the point he hated not knowing about everything that was going on. 'Why the heck do we have to into the oldest part of Orlando?' 

The address on the paper was for an area where the old Orlando people lived. Family's rich in history and money. He looked at the paper and turned onto the street that it said. Going pass all the houses , he went slower than needed looking at all the buildings. Most of them had huge pillars with jasmine growing up them. They were two story mini mansions. Things right out of Gone With The Wind. 

 

He stopped in front of the house that the paper indicated was their destination. He looked at the house for a few seconds. It was one of the more spectacular dwellings that lined the street he had just driven. It had a huge wrap around porch with pillars all around it. It had a stone walk way from the mail box to the front door. 

The little plaque on the wrought iron gate said 1822. All of the houses on this street had them. It was the date it was built. 

JC felt that they had stopped. So he opened his eyes and noticed they were parked in front of Lily's house. he smiled as remembered the look on Lily's face the first time she saw the house that had been given to her. 

"Well J. Let's go in." 

Justin looked at JC then for the first time noticed the moving van. Justin's eyes got wide. 

"JC did you buy this place? Does Bobbie know about it? Did you buy it for her?" 

At the mention of Bobbies name JC's face paled slightly. 

"You still haven't told Lily about Bobbie? JC how stupid can you be?" 

JC snorted. 

"Apparently very. Just don't worry about it. I will talk to her. Soon. I promise. Now let's go in." 

JC jumped out of the car. Justin followed. 

"Hey JC, you still didn't answer my question. Did you buy this place or what?" 

"No Justin he didn't. It's mine." 

Justin stopped in his tracks and turned around to see Lily standing behind him. Lily caught JC's eye over Justin's head and smiled. 

"WHAT?!?!" 

"I said it's mine. My aunt left it to me in her will." 

Justin blinked and then looked from JC to Lily. 

"So that means what..." 

"That means..." 

Lily ran to the garage and grabbed her basketball and made a perfect three point shot. 

"That I can kick you ass even more now that I am living closer to you." 

She smiled and threw the ball again. Perfect shot. Lily could give Justin a run for his money in the basketball department. 

Justin just stood there looking at Lily then back at JC. his first thought was wondering how this whole Bobbie thing was going to work out with Lily living in Orlando too. Then it sunk in. His Lily was going to be living in the same city as him. 

He ran over and grabbed the ball from her. 

"You wish Lily." He shot the ball and made a perfect three pointer as well. 

JC smiled as Lily and Justin started another bloodletting as he liked to call them. When Lily and Justin played basketball it was nothing short of a small war.


	30. Chapter 30

Lily sat down on the grass next to the driveway. Justin laid down next to her and put his arm oner his eyes. 

"Lil, this is a really nice place." 

"Thanks. And you haven't even see the back yet. My aunt took good care of this place. I also found a letter when I got here today. She left me enough money to last me at least five years and if I just use it for taxes, then it will last me longer." 

Justin sighed. Now that he had time to think about it, he was getting really excited about her living there. 

"Well, why don't you take me out back and show me the place." 

"Sure." 

Lily and Justin jump up. Lily puts her arm through Justin's and walks him down another stone walk way. This one was covered with an arch. And it had rose vines all over it. 

Justin could not belive his eyes. The back of the house was so beautiful. 

"Wow." 

"Yea. Those were my exact thoughts when I saw it the first time." 

Lily smiled at Justin's _expression. When she had walked in the backyard the first time she had stood where she was at for ten minutes just taking it all in. 

There were about six different gardens. All put in to attract different things. One had butterflies and dragon flies. That one was her personal favorite. It was also the biggest one. There was a white gazebo in the middle of it. Then there was the pond, which had many varieties of floating plants and a small two person canoe. That two was one of her favorites. 

"Are you going to have to care of all these yourself?" 

Lily shook her head. "Nope. The gardener is paid up for three years. I won't have to worry about it till then." 

When Lily looked at all the gardens she felt like she was in some faerie land. Some magical place. That this was her own personal enchanted land. 

Justin grabbed her and hugged her. "I am soooooo glad you are here. Now I need to go wash up." 

She smiled. "Yea I'd say you do because more than just your game stinks." 

Justin stuck his tounge out at her and ran into the house. 

Lily was just about to follow when she noticed JC walk up onto the gazebo. She breathed deeply. JC was dangerous to her hormones on a daily basis, but to see him in this setting was overkill. She smiled as the fleeting vision of him as an elven prince. 

The sun was setting and the little lights that were hidden in the gardens started to come one. When she had first seen them she thought they were fireflys, but they had only been put in to give the effect of such. It only added to her imagination concerning this place. 

She slowly made her way to the gazebo. 

"Hey Lily." 

"Hey JC." 

JC turned to look at her. His heart skipped a beat. In this place she was beautiful. He smiled as the sudden vision of her as faerie went across his mind. 

They just stood their looking at each other. 

"Josh, what's wrong?" 

JC blinked. She hadn't called him Josh in years. He sat down on the bench. He had no idea why this was so hard to tell her. He had a girlfriend. So what. Lily was his best friend. It's not like he was in love with her or anything. 

Yea right. 

He pushed the voice out of his mind. He was not in love with Lily. 

"Lily, I gotta talk to you about something." 

Lily walked in and sat next to him. 

"OK. What?" 

JC breathed in deeply. "I have girlfriend." 

Lily looked at JC. What was the proper response to this? She could start crying and yell about how stupid and blind he was not to know that THEY belonged together. She could hug him and say congradualtions when can I meet her. Or the third option was to find out who she was and take her out. 

AS appealing as the third option was, she chose number two. 

"JC, when did this happen? Why didn't you tell me sooner? When can I meet her?" 

JC was looking at Lily and knew that happy front she was showing was not completely true. But, he wasn't going to push it. 

"Well her name is Bobbie. We have been dating for a couple of months and you can meet her whenever you want." 

Her heart was screaming. This was not happening. "Cool. How about Saturday? We can have a cookout here, kinda like a house warming/meet the girl party." 

JC stood up. "Well if your sure. I mean you just moved in." 

Lily laughed. "Yea but I didn't do any of the work. I might just have to get my own bodyguards if they all work as hard as your do." 

JC laughed. "Yea well ten bucks says that as soon as they get us alone they are going to rip us apart for getting them to help you. Your just lucky that they love you." 

Lily smiled. "I guess I am." 

"Well, I am going to go in. I promised Bobbie that I would call tonight. I will tell her about Saturday." 

Lily nodded her head. "OK. I am just going to sit out here for a few minutes." 

JC hugged her. "I am so glad you down here." 

He turned and walked away. He knew he was being a coward. He felt how sad she had gotten but he didn't want to go there. He didn't want to open that door. Not yet anyhow.


	31. Chapter 31

"LILY! Get down here!!" Justin was pounding on her bedroom door. Lily was looking out the window down to where everyone was enjoying the picnic. She had made her exit just before JC had walked up the drive with Bobbie. She was not ready to see her yet. See them together. She had tried to get herself ready for three days. 

She turned and opened the door. 

"So are you planning on hiding up here all afternoon?" 

Lily just nodded her head. Justin sighed. He sat down on the edge of her bed and grabbed her hand. 

"I know Lil, that this is hard for you. But maybe if you tell him how you feel..." 

He was stopped by the look that Lily was giving him. He smiled. 

"Alright Alright. I know but still..." 

Lily shrugged and Justin put his arm around her shoulder. He was the only one of the guys that knew exactly what the extent of Lily and Josh's relationship was. 

"I love him J. Love him so much it scares me." 

Justin knew this. Justin wished JC would wake up. Justin had talked to JC enough times that if JC wouldn't be so stubborn he would admit that he loved her too. 

Justin lifted Lily's face with his finger under her chin. When she looked up at him he smiled. He knew how it felt to love someone and not have them love you back. He had been dealing with it since he met Lily. 

"Lil, just go down there and meet her. She is very nice. You two will get along great. Besides JC wants you to meet her." 

She wiped the tears from her face. And then she sighed. 

"Why can't I fall in love with someone else? Someone like you maybe?" 

Justin swallowed hard. "Well, maybe you will sometime." 

She laughed. "Yea and when I do, you will finally have realized that Brit should be more than YOUR friend." 

Justin blushed. They had this argument over and over. It was true at one time. But not since he had met Lily. 

"Just get down there." 

Lily stood up. "Alright fine. I'm going. I'm going." 

 

~~~~ 

 

As JC and Bobbie came around the back of the house JC immediately looked for Lily. He couldn't find her. 

"Chris where's Lily?" 

Chris looked around. She had handed him a glass of tea five minutes ago. 

"Don't know dude she was here a second ago." 

Chris walked away as Bobbie told JC she was going to get something to drink. She reached up and gave JC a kiss on the cheek. He smiled down at her. 

"I will try to find Lily so you can meet her." 

He didn't have to look very far. Her and Justin were coming out of her house. He ran up to them. 

"Come on girl Bobbie really wants to meet you." 

JC started towards where she was standing. 

"All of a sudden I got a vision of My Best Friends Wedding..." 

Justin couldn't help himself. He laughed. 

"As long as I am not the gay friend then we will be ok." 

Lily smiled at him. 

"I don't think anyone would believe you were gay even if you said you were." 

"Who's gay?" 

Joey heard the word and he had to but his nose in. 

"Nobody Joe." 

Justin and Lily said at the same time.


	32. Chapter 32

JC grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her towards Bobbie. Her heart sinking further and further down with each step. 

"Bobbie this is my best friend Lily, Lily this is Bobbie." 

Everyone quieted down as they were introduced. Lily blinked and extended her hand. 

"Nice to meet you." 

Before she realized what happened Bobbie had pulled her into a hug. 

"Girl, I have heard so much about you, it's like WE are best friends. No hand shakes here." 

Lily stepped back and looked at Bobbie again. She didn't want to like her, but she felt herself doing just the opposite. 

"Really, well then I must find out what he said because when Justin told me that same thing years ago MOST of it turned out to be an exaggeration." 

Justin and JC started to laugh. JC was relieved. He was not to sure how this meeting was going to turn out. He just wanted them to get along. 

~~~~~ 

Around 9 o'clock everyone started getting ready to leave. The guys's bodyguards wanted to get them home. 

"Yes we have meeting with Lou and hid dogs tomorrow." Chris said with a snarl. 

"Yea so we need to get some rest. We have to meet with our lawyers first." 

Joey, Chris, JC and Lance were getting ready to go to their cars. Bobbie had left a little earlier. She had a 7Am photo shoot to get to. 

"Where's J?" 

JC looked around. "Don't know. Last time I saw him was when Brit called him. He went down to the gazebo to talk to her. I will go see if he is still there. Knowing him, he probably laid down in the hammock that Lily brought from home and fell asleep." 

He started towards the gazebo as the rest of the guys made their way to their cars. He stopped dead in his tracks. Justin was in the hammock but not alone. Lily was laying with him. 

JC blinked back tears. 'Why should that bother me?' he thought to himself. 

_Because you love her._

He growled at the stupid voice in his head again. He did not love Lily. Not like that. But when he got closer and saw Lily's head on Justin's shoulder sleeping he wanted to cry and scream. That was supposed to be him. Nobody else was supposed to be there for her like that. 

'Yea JC, nice. Want her to go to a convent while you marry whomever you want?' JC shook his head. He was being unreasonable. 

He shook Justin. "J buddy. Ships leaving." 

Justin looked up to see JC standing over him. He then looked and saw Lily asleep on his chest. His heart beat a little faster. He kissed her forehead and got out without waking her up. They had been talking when they had fallen asleep. 

Justin and JC walked back to the driveway. Justin looked over at JC and saw him scowling. He smiled to himself. 'maybe if C thinks that something is going on with Lily and someone else it might wake him up.' 

"I don't believe I have slept better in months." Justin said as he got into his Mercedes. 

JC's scowl became deeper and Justin laughed as he backed out of the driveway. JC got in his Jeep and watched as Justin left. 'Why the heck did that bother me?' 

_Because you love her._

This time JC just looked in the mirror and backed out.


	33. Chapter 33

2002 

"Come on Chris we have done this a million times." 

"PLEASE GOD SAVE ME!!!!" 

Lily threw a towel at Chris. "Gettin' too old, there buddy?" 

"Hey I am almost 31. If I don't want to dance around like a teenager anymore I don't have too." 

"OHHH what are all your teenies gonna say to that? I can see it now. 'Oldest Member Quits NSYNC because he was too Old'" 

Chris rolled his eyes. "Why did I ever agree to this?" 

"Because you love me." 

"No. I hate you. I wanted a few months off to relax. Give my knees a rest and here I am helping you come up with a dance for I Do....GOD!" 

Chris slammed his head back down on the floor. After the last year he needed a rest. Heck after the last few years they ALL needed a rest. He didn't want to admit it, but the dancing was getting hard on him. Lily laid down next to him. 

"I'm sorry Chris. If you didn't want to you shoulda just said no." 

Chris propped himself on his elbow and looked down at her. 

"Um Unless you missed something when have any of us been able to say no to you?" 

Chris winked. Lily smirked. 

"One of you had no problem saying no." 

"Lily sweetie you never asked him. You just assumed that it would be no." 

Lily closed her eyes. What was she supposed to do? JC and Bobbie had been together for over two years. She was NOT going to try and interfere with that. 

"Subject change Chris. When did Justin and Brit want to go out?" 

They were back to the dancing again. After the last time they all went out Lily decided she needed some moves. She didn't feel comfortable asking J for help, especially after she found out WHY he hadn't taken his relationship with Brit to the next step. 

It wasn't until Brit had confronted her a year ago that she knew anything at all. Lily had felt terrible and had backed off until J realized he loved Britney. Now everything was back to normal, she was just extra careful when it came to J. 

"I think Friday. You should be good to go by then." 

She stood up and turned the song on again. This time dancing by herself. 

"WOW girl, when did you learn to move your hips like that." 

"Ummm Save The Last Dance." 

"O yea the 'I want to see some S E X in those H I Ps'. Well I think you got that down." 

She bowed. "Thank you kind sir. I try." 

Chris looked at his watch. "Hey I got to get to a meeting. But I will call you later." 

"I may not be home. Bobbie and I are going shopping." 

Chris smiled and gave her a hug. He knew how hard it was to like the person, that person you were in love with, was with. Dani's new guy was like that. He and Chris get along great. 

"Keep your chin up. You never know when things might change." 

Lily sighed. "Yea and we have said that how many times in the last, oh seven years?" 

Chris hugged her one last time. "Just keep truckin girlfriend." 

"Go. Get." Lily pushed Chris out the door and shut it behind him. She sighed and headed for the bathroom. If only things would change, but after all this time her hope was dwindling fast. 

~~~~~ 

JC was driving around aimlessly. He didn't know what to do. The last two years with Bobbie were great. She loved him. He loved her. Or so he tried to convince himself. The last six months have made him think. 

He pulled to a stop in front of a pier. He got out locked his car and started to walk. He knew that if Dre or anyone found out he went out alone there would be hell to pay. So he pulled on his baseball cap and put the hood of his sweatshirt over that. 

He found a picnic table and sat looking at the water. He sighed. He had finally conceded, to himself at least, that he was attracted to Lily. Attracted really was an understatement. Whenever he was around her couldn't think straight. If he got within ten feet of her he would start to shake and get dizzy. He really wasn't a pretty sight at those times. Especially if she touched him. God if she touched him he was all but done for. He had to leave whatever they were doing as fast as he could because if he didn't he had no idea what he would do. 

He had been doing good with keeping the attraction at a minimal level. Until recently. Now anytime he did anything with Bobbie, even kissed her he pictured Lily. Maybe what everyone had said a for the last few years was true. 

He sat there for a few more minutes thinking. He thought about all the times that he hurt her. All the things they did together. Little things that she said and did. His Lily. His. His alone. 

"O my god, I love her. I want her. I love my best friend." He said it out loud but it didn't matter. His heart was screaming it so loud that everyone should be able to hear it anyhow. 

The realization of the feelings he had been feeling for the past, eons it seems , was to much, he started to cry and didn't try to stop them. 

~~~~~ 

Lily had just got out of the shower when a sudden skip of her heart stopped her in her tracks. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. She breathed deep a few times to regain her equilibrium. She slowly opened her eyes and felt different. Something was different. 

"Josh."


	34. Chapter 34

Lily decided to have an impromptu picnic that weekend. She had a DJ and the whole nine yards. Summer was almost done and the guys were going to be busy. It was also one of the few times that Lance got to be home. Most of the time he was in Russia getting ready to fulfill another dream. 

She walked out into her backyard to see Justin and Britney walking into the yard. She ran up to them. 

"Hey guys." 

"Hey girl" 

Britney gives her a hug. "We gotta talk." 

Lily looked at her. The last time Britney had said that she had found out about how Justin felt. Britney laughed at the look on Lily's face. 

"Stop being paranoid." She grabbed Lily's hand and drug her to the gazebo. 

"Sit." Britney pointed to the bench. 

"So when are you going to tell him you love him?" 

Lily knew this was coming. She was surprised that it had taken as long as it did. 

"He broke up with Bobbie over a month ago. Did you ever ask why?" 

Lily shook her head. "I tried, but he wouldn't answer me. In fact lately he has been avoiding me as much as he can. O we talk on the phone and crap a lot, but he won't hang out with me anymore. To be honest I think that Bobbie didn't like the fact the he and I are so close." 

Britney shook her head. Everyone around them knew that they loved each other. Why they didn't come clean to each other was beyond her. 

"I really think it's time you talk to him. It's driving you insane." 

Britney had that right. Lily's head popped up as she heard the song come on. She needed a diversion and this was it. 

"It's my song Brit. Come on. I gotta find Chris." 

Lily grabs Britney's hand and runs back to were the DJ had set up. Chris was already there waiting for her. 

"I figured I would beat you to the punch." 

Lily smiled at Chris as they started they dance they had perfected over a month ago to I Do. Everyone was watching as they nailed some very complicated moves. 

Lily looked up to see JC walking down the driveway. She smiled at him and then got a thought. She was tired of playing nice. It was time to show Mr.Chasez a thing or two. She turned to Chris and raised an eyebrow and Chris immediately knew what she was going to do. Her little Save The last Dance moves on JC. 

He held back a laugh and she sauntered her way up to JC. Lily grabbed his hand and drug him to where they were dancing. 

"You are going to dance with me." 

She smiled up at him and started to dance, and dance she did. Everyone around was in a state of shock as Lily did some dancing they didn't think she would be capable of. JC was getting flustered. 

'Lily can't be doing this.' He swallowed hard as realized that he was going to lose it if he didn't get away from her. 

He grabbed her by the waist and made her turn to look at him. Bad idea. The look in her eyes was almost his undoing. He opened his mouth to speak. The closed it and ran into the house. 

Lily blinked back tears as she watched JC go into the house. They both were unaware of the laughter and whistles surrounding them. 

"Dang girl. Where did you learn to do that?" 

Joey asked as he came up to her. She smiled at the look on his face. 

"Don't even think about it Fatone. That was a one time deal." 

She turned and went to get something to drink. 

Justin looked from JC to Lily. Britney knew what he was thinking. 

"You take JC. I will talk to Lily." 

Justin smiled and kissed Britney. He was so glad he had came to his senses. Now if they could get Lily and JC to do the same thing it would be all good. 

~~~~ 

JC had grabbed the nearest glass and drank a glass of water as fast as he could. 'What the heck as she doing? She had better not EVER dance that way when she goes out with Brit and J.' 

He was watching her get a drink and sit down on the grass talking to Britney. He put his hand in front of his face. It was still shaking. He had never wanted anyone as he wanted Lily when she started dancing with him. His heartbeat was still going fast. 

He turned to walk into the living room when he Justin standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face. 

"O yea, You got it bad." 

JC didn't even fight him this time. 

"Bad is not even the word for it J." 

Justin'e eyes got wide as it dawned on him that JC didn't disagree this time. 

"C..What are you talking about?" 

JC sat on the couch and looked up at Justin. 

"Lily. I love Lily. But it goes beyond that. I mean you know all about the stuff that goes on with us. I think somehow we were meant to be together and it scares the piss right out of me." 

Justin didn't know what to say. 

"J. I broke up with Bobbie because...because anytime I mean ANYTIME. that I was with her all I could think about was Lily." 

Justin sat down next to him. "Then why have you been avoiding Lily?" 

JC laughed a little. "For my sanity and her safety." 

"Ok Explain." 

JC sighed. "I want her Justin. I mean deep down, wake up in a cold sweat, shaking, heartbeat accelerating, can't think straight, passing out at one touch of her hand wanting her. I am afraid that if we start something, even a kiss, and I won't be able to stop." 

"WOW!" 

"So I am caught between a rock and a hard place." 

Justin snorted. JC swiped across the head. "Shut up." 

"Sorry C. Sorry. Maybe you should just talk to her." 

JC looked at Justin. "That's just it. I can't be in the same room with her and NOT touch her. She is..is so much a part of me. It hurts to be a part from her. It hurts when I am with her." 

"Just talk to her." 

"Yea JC just talk to me." 

JC and Justin both jumped up. Lily and JC were looking at each other. Justin looked from one to the other. 

"Well, I think I..they..um..yea I gotta go." He smiled at Lily as he went out the door.


	35. Chapter 35

Justin was still smiling as he got to the rest of the guys and Britney. "What's going on?" 

"Well I would have to say a lot. Just don't go in there. The heat those two are generating just looking at each other is enough to burn down half of Orlando." 

They all grabbed some drinks and sat down on the ground to see what round two would bring about. 

~~~~~ 

JC and Lily just stood their looking at each other. JC swallowed, feeling his heartbeat pick back up after moments ago beating a normal steady pace. 

Lily took a step towards him. He took a step back. 

"What the heck is your problem JC?" She sat down on the couch with her back against the arm and one leg up under her and the other foot on the floor. 

"Nothing. I don't have a problem. I gotta get going tho." 

He turned to walk away. Her voice stopped him. "Leave JC and you never have to come back. I am done with this." 

He turned and looked at her back. He was standing right behind her but couldn't move. She sighed heavily. 

"I love you Josh. I more than love you. I need you. I am getting tired of always being the one hurt. Sometimes I feel that you might love me, but you have fought it so hard that I can't even tell anymore. Every time you get a new girl my heart breaks a little more. So I'm done." 

Lily stood up and turned to look at him. JC was standing there with tears falling down his cheeks. 

"I love you Joshua Scott Chasez. I have for as long as I can remember. Probably even before that. We were made for each other." 

JC walked over to the couch and sat down. He never knew how those words would effect him. He had dreamt about it, but now that they were said he didn't know what to do or say. 

Lily sat down next to him and tried to take his hand. He pulled it away and walked over to sit in the chair. Lily got mad. 

"Ok JC. What do you want from me? I mean god, I have done everything EVERYTHING I can for you. My whole life has been about you. Now you are running from me. What is that about?" 

JC looked up into her eyes. She was sitting back down on the couch and he was in the chair. A coffee table separating them. 

"I don't want to hurt you. I Love you." 

Lily barely heard the whispered words. She got up and kneeled in front of him. 

"And how would you do that? How would you hurt me if you loved me?" 

The way she was sitting in front of him made it so he couldn't move. He put his shaking hand on her face. 

"I want you to much Lil. I mean I am afraid that.." 

Lily smiled and stopped his confession with a kiss. Neither of them had ever felt anything like this before. It was all a blur of light and heat and they had no idea how to stop it. JC was the first to break away because he felt like he was going to pass out. 

When the looked at each other they both were breathing hard and what they were thinking and feeling didn't need to be spoken because they both knew. 

"See Josh, nobody got hurt. And you stopped." 

"Yea, but I sure as heck didn't want to." 

"Me either." 

JC grabbed her hand. 

"Now what Lil?" 

"Whatever we want." 

JC noticed that Lily's hands were shaking. He put his hand with hers and held them up in front of them. 

"Wow." 

"Yea I know. It's something that I have gotten used to when you are around. My senses go berserk whenever you are even in the same zip code." 

JC smiled. He knew how she felt. 

"Tell me about it. I can't even walk on the street anymore. If I even smell your perfume on someone I am useless for the rest of the day." 

Now that he knew that he would be able to stop if he touched her, he got a little brave. He pulled her up on his lap. 

"One thing. That dance. You don't dance that way when you go out with J and Brit do ya?" 

Lily smiled. 

"Jealous?" 

JC with a deadly serious calm said "Very. I hate it. But it's the truth. I have always been Jealous of you and whomever you spend your time with. Remember when you met Bobbie the first time?" 

Lily looked at him and nodded her head. 

"When I found you and Justin in the hammock I saw red. I had to tell myself a million times that you were not mine. I had no authority over you. If you wanted Justin or any other guy there was nothing I could do to stop it. I was selfish. I wanted you to be with only me and yet I dated. God, I must have hurt you badly sweetie. I am so sorry." 

Lily put her hand on his cheek. "It's ok. I never really wanted to be with anyone anyhow. Truth be told I should never have been with Corey. I was trying to forget you. Or at least get you out of my heart. Corey knew this. It ate at him until it poisoned him." 

JC put Lily's head on his shoulder. He hated thinking about that time. That was the time he almost lost her forever. He kissed her forehead. She looked up at him and he got lost in the deep blue of her eyes. Noticing that for the first time looking into her eyes he was looking into his own. Looking into his soul not just hers. 

"Lily" JC whispered and his mouth came down on hers. This time when they kissed the dizzying feeling was worse. JC and Lily pulled back and looked at each other. 

"This could be interesting." 

JC swallowed. "I know what you mean." 

He picked her up and put her on the chair, turned and looked out the window. 

"Lily honey, I want us to be extra careful ok? I mean..I know how you feel about things. You want to wait until your married until.." 

He turned back around to look out the window again. He couldn't even say it with out getting all hormonal about it. 

"Until I make love to someone?" 

Lily put her hand on his shoulder as she said it and he jumped away from her. He nodded his head up and down quickly. She smiled knowing the kind of power she had over him. It was no less then the power he had over her. 

" Then I won't." 

JC looked her dead in the eye. "If we aren't careful YOU might not have choice." 

For the first time Lily realized just how much control JC had been exercising. She took step back away from him. 

"Ok so what do we do? Not see each other. Not touch at all?" 

JC shook his head. "Just remember that if I step away from you or seem a little distant, it's for you own good. Don't get mad at me. I love you. That's what comes first. It's just sometimes..hormones have another idea." 

Lily outright laughed at that. JC replayed what he said in his head to see what she found so funny. 

"O god this is sooooo funny. We are 26 years old and are talking about hormones running out of control like we are teenagers or something." 

Lily sat down on the couch and got her laughter under control. That is what they needed to relax a little. Something humorous.


	36. Chapter 36

Joey, Chris, Justin, Lance and Britney were all sitting on the yard looking up at the house. 

"So she we go up there and see if everything is alright?" Joey asked. 

Justin and Chris shrugged. "I don't think so guys. Let them have some time. After this has been years in the making." 

"Your right Brit. But um how long should we give them. They have been talking for almost an hour now." 

"Would either of you three want to be interrupted if the situation was reversed?" 

All three guys shook their heads. "Ok then. Let them be." 

"Alrighty then..anyone want to play basketball?" 

Justin grabbed the ball and stood up. The rest just looked at each other and shrugged. 

"Why not." 

"I will just watch you guys. Your're even teamed so I don't need to play." 

Justin smiled. "Yea right you just want a front row seat checking out this fine specimen." He turned with his hands in the air. 

Britney rolled her eyes. "Sweetie if I wanted to see a fine specimen, I would look Ryan Philippe up on the internet." 

She smiled and raised an eyebrow in Justin's direction. He walked over and kneeled in front of her. 

"Really?" 

"Yes really." 

Justin smiled and leaned in and kissed her. "Now do you want check out anyone else?" 

Britney stared wide-eyed at him. She never failed to lose herself in one of his kisses. She just shook her head unable to speak. Justin hit the tip of her nose with his finger. 

"Didn't think so. Love ya Brit." 

"Love you to J." 

"O PLEEEEEEEASE this is a basketball game not a date. Get over here Timberlake." 

Justin jumped up and threw the ball at Chris. "Your just jealous." 

~~~~~~~~ 

Lily and Josh were sitting on the couch debating weather or not to let everyone who was still there know that they were indeed alive and well. 

"J or Chris would have come in and bugged us." 

Lily shook her head. Still reeling in the feeling of actually being in JC's arms. He had been holding her for the last hour with no signs of letting go. 

"Britney is out there. She won't let them come anywhere near us until we give the OK." 

JC laughed. He tilted his head so the his was resting on the top of Lily's. This was something he could get used to. Holding her. Forever. 

"Lily, I just remembered. Crap. Crap. Crap." 

Lily sat up and looked at him. "Ahh yea?" 

"I gotta fly up to NYC for the weekend. I have a meeting. There is a couple singers I am thinking about producing. DAMN!" This was bad timing. 

"JC, that's your job. One of them at least. I think I can handle you going away on business trips and stuff. I mean hello..." 

JC looked down at her. "You might be able to handle it, but I don't think I can. This whole thing is all so new and I don't want to be apart from you for more than a second." 

Lily put her hand on his cheek. "JC you forget. With us..we are always together. No matter what." 

"God I love you so much Lil." 

"I love you too Josh." 

They kissed and the same wild feelings from the first few times were still there. 

"Think that will ever pass?" 

Lily laughed. He knew he didn't really want it too, but it was just that they were so intense it took a little bit to recover. 

"I hope not. I just hope that they might lesson a little. It will get very annoying to get a blindingly dizzy every time we kiss." 

JC looked at her and had a thought. If kissing was so intense with her then sex.....he shook his head to get any thought like that out of his mind. It was hard enough with out actually thinking about it. 

Lily smacked him. "What?!?!" 

"Yea I know what your thinking. Just you stop." 

He kissed her again and then stood up. "I really got to get home and pack. My plane leaves like at 8AM." 

Lily got up off the couch and grabbed his hand as they walked out the door. When they got outside, they saw the guys in the middle of their game and everyone stopped dead when they saw them come out. 

Justin was the first to react as he ran over an looked from Lily to JC back to Lily again. 

"Praise God...they finally got it together." 

He grabbed them both and gave them a hug. Then he turned and was gone as fast as he had ran up to them. The rest of the guys started to clap and cheer. 

"Thank you. Thank you. There will be a meet and greet after the show." 

Everyone laughed at Lily's joke. JC tugged on Lily's hand. 

"Walk me to my car." 

"I wouldn't dream of doing anything else." 

They turn to walk away when Justin yells. 

"C you leavin?" 

"Yea J, I got that meeting in NYC in the afternoon." 

Justin screwed up his nose. "O yea I forgot. That kinda bites don't it." 

Lily laughed. "Yea, kinda J but I am sure JC and I will recover." 

Her and JC turn back to walking down the driveway. When they got to JC's jeep he let go of her hand to unlock the door. Instead he stooped and put his head on the car. 

"I don't want to leave you. Not now." 

Lily rubbed her hand up and down his back. "JC. Everything will be fine. Geez. Not that much has changed." 

JC turned and looked at her. Then he kissed her. Which reinforced the fact that yes things had changed. Considerably. 

"Point taken." Lily said breathlessly. 

"Yea thought so." JC responded in the same breathless tone. 

"JC just get in the car and go. The longer you stand here the harder and later it is going to get." 

JC whirled around and got in the car. He looked at Lily one more time and grabbed her hand and kissed the tips of her fingers. 

"Sleep sweet, Lily." 

Lily blinked back tears. 

"You too, Josh. I love you." 

Josh smiled. 

"I love you too baby." 

He shut the door and backed out of the driveway. Lily watched until his car couldn't be seen anymore then she turned and walked back to backyard. 

She stopped and leaned against the side of the house. The emotions of the last few years caught up with her. The night had been wonderful. Her and JC were going to be together. She let herself cry. Really cry for the first time in six years.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37 

JC had to stop and pull off the road. He could barely see past the tears in his eyes. This had been the best night of his life. He had to just stop and process everything. Plus he had to fight the urge to turn around and go back to Lily's house. Whom he knew was going though the same feelings as he was. 

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the seat. Now things in life seemed right. He always knew something was missing. But he never knew, or more to the point, wanted to admit that it was Lily. 

He picked his head back up and wiped the tears off of his cheeks. "Ok JC get it together. It's not like your going to be gone for months at a time right now." He looked in his rear view mirror and saw that it was clear and proceeded on to his place. 

~~~~~ 

Britney wondered where Lily had gone to. She started to walk to the front of the house when she saw Lily sitting on the ground with her knees up and crying. 

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" 

Lily hiccuped. "Nothing is is is wrong." 

Britney smiled. "Well then why are you crying like something is seriously wrong?" 

Lily looked up at Britney and smiled as she wiped some of the tears off of her face. "Did you ever see Sense and Sensibility?" 

Britney nodded her head. "Well I now know how Eleanor felt in the end when Edward came for her." 

At that Britney started laughing and then gave her a hug. "O honey I am so happy for you." 

Eventually Lily calmed down enough to walk and see the rest of the rest of the guys. Chris ran up to her and grabbed her and spun her around. 

"Girl if I had known all it would have taken was to dance like that with JC I would have suggested it years ago. I am sooooo happy for you." 

"Thanks Chris. Now you can put me down." 

Chris set her down on the ground. 

"So now what?" Justin asked. 

Lily smiled. "Well, that's a very good question. But I have a great idea." 

They all looked at her expectantly. It was something she thought of while having her mini breakdown. 

"Follow me guys. If this is going to work I will need all of your help." 

~~~~~ 

JC woke up the next morning. Well waking up would not be the exact word. More like getting up. He never went to sleep. He was too excited about all that was happening in his life. He had tried to call her before he went to bed but there was no answer. He checked his voice mail and found out she was staying the night at Britney's house. 

He decided not to call her there. He wanted her to have her girl talk. So now it was 7:00 in the morning and he wanted to call her. He reached for the phone and as he did it rang. He knew who it was. He smiled. 

"Pizza World. May I help you?" 

He heard her chuckle on the other end of the phone. "Yes. I would like a large pizza with sliced Chasez. Hold the clothes." 

JC almost fell on the floor. Flirting was another new aspect that he had to get used to. 

"Sure thing miss. I will bring that right over." 

"You ready to go? Everything packed." 

JC sighed. "NO. I still need to put you in a bag to take with me." 

Lily laughed a little. "Well that is not going to happen this time around, but I am going to make you take me to NYC sometime. I have never been there ya know." 

"Yea I know. I promise. You are going to see and do things that you never dreamed about. " 

"I can't wait. I just wanted to say good morning and have a nice flight and all that jazz. O yea and I love you." 

JC smiled. "I was just about to call you." 

"I know. Brit would have killed you if you called. We were up till 5AM talking and stuff." 

"Really. What did you talk about?" 

"That's for me to know and you to find out Chasez. Now hang up the phone or you are gonna miss your flight." 

"OK. OK. I'm going. I will call you as soon as check in at the hotel. I love ya Lily." 

Lily sighed. She would never get tired of him saying that to her. "Love you to Josh. Bye." 

"Bye sweetie." 

JC hung up the phone and grabbed his bag. 'This is going to be one long weekend', he thought. 

 

~~~~~ 

Lily hung up the phone and crawled back into the bed. Her and Brit had stayed up half the night getting plans together. All the guys were going to help as were the bodyguards. After a little grumbling they caved. Especially when they realized the jobs they had were no where as taxing as when she had them mover her in. 

She picked up her folder and took out all the paper. Each guy had a list of things to do and pick up. She looked a from the master list to each of the guys. She was really worried about letting Chris get flowers. He's well.... he's Chris, but Britney had told her that Chris had helped Justin pick out some kickin flowers for her. 

She decided to leave the list the way they were. She had wanted to get a little more sleep but that was not going to happen. She got up and stretched. She walked out of the bedroom she was sleeping in. She started to walk past Britney's room. She smiled and opened the door. 

She saw her sleeping away on her bed and decided to make a dive for it. She ran from one end of the room and landed right on top of Britney. 

"WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" Lily punctuated each yell with a jump. 

"LILY I am going to kill you!!!" 

Britney rolled over and shoved Lily as hard as she could. Lily landed on her stomach. Britney put her head over the edge of the bed to see what damage she caused. 

"Lil, you ok?" 

LIly was shaking because she was laughing so hard. She rolled over on to her back and looked up at Britney. 

"Yea I'm fine." 

They looked at each other and both started laughing. Lily got up and shoved Britney over. 

"Share you bed hog." 

"Yea whatever." 

Britney moved over and Lily laid down on top of the covers. She had made all the plans last night except one. 

"Brit?" 

"Yea, Lil?" 

"Will you be my Maid-Of-Honor?" 

Britney sat up and looked at her. Lily sat up cross-legged in front of Britney. 

"Really? You want me to be your Maid-Of-Honor?" 

Lily nodded her head. "I mean I really didn't have any girlfriends until I met you. I consider you one of my best friends. I would ask Chris but I think he would enjoy wearing a dress waaaaay to much." 

This caused both girls to start laughing again. 

"Well?" 

Well? Well what do you think? I would love to do it. Now all we have to do is find dresses." 

"I have mine already." 

"WHAT?!?! And this is the first time you have mentioned it?" 

Lily shrugged. " To be honest I didn't think I would ever wear it." 

Britney leaned over and hugged her. "We all knew you would someday. So now. We have two days to get a wedding together. All the lists done?" 

Lily nodded her head. "Yup. All ready to roll." 

"Good. Now let's get some breakfast and call that no good boyfriend of mine and tell him to get his lily white arse over here." 

Britney jumped up and grabbed Lily's hand. 

"Brit. You think I am doing the right thing?" 

"Girl, if I didn't think J would kill me for taking away some of his spotlight, I would throw him a surprise wedding. Come Sunday 7:30PM JC Chasez is going to be the happiest man alive." 

Lily smiled thinking that Brit was right. A Surprise wedding. In two days. It could be done. It would be done.


	38. Chapter 38

JC looked at his watch. It was 7:00 PM. He had told Lily that he would be at her house as soon as the plane landed. He figured it would be about 7:30. 

He thought back to the conversation he had with her the night before. Something was up. He could tell in her voice. He could also feel that she was anxious about something. And there was excitement. When he asked her about it she said there was nothing to worry about it. 

JC unlocked his door and got in. He breathed in deep. He couldn't wait to get to her house. He wanted to hold her. he had missed her so much over the weekend. Worse than anything he had felt before. Even when his mom and dad made him got to camp eons ago. 

He pulled his car out of the airport and hit the gas. The sooner he got to Lily's the happier he would be. 

 

~~~~~ 

Lily was pacing back and forth in her study. She looked out the window down to her gardens. They had been working non stop for three days and it looked beautiful. 

"Lily you have to calm down. Everything will be fine. JC will be happy. Trust me." 

She turned to see Justin standing in the door. She smiled at him. 

"Where's Brit?" 

"She's coming. She just had to put our gift on the table." 

Lily blinked back tears. "J, you guys didn't have to give us anything. God, look at everything you guys have done this weekend." 

It was Justin and Britney who had orchestrated getting her and Josh's families to Orlando so fast. They in fact paid for everyone. First class. On the first plane out of Maryland. 

"Well, this is special. JC is my best friend. And you well, you have become part of the family." 

Lily walked over and gave him a hug. 

"Hey now. what is this?" 

Justin and Lily looked at Brit walking in. Britney stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Lily's dress. 

"Wow Lil, that is a gorgeous dress." 

"OK that's my cue to leave. Dresses, hair, makeup. Blah, Blah, Blah." 

Justin turned to leave and mumbled for the benefit of his two favorite girls, "Thank god I'm perfect. I don't have to worry about all that crap." 

"JUSTIN" Lily and Britney yelled together. 

They heard Justin laughing all the way down the stairs. 

"So? The dress? Where the heck did you get it?" 

Lily smiled. "I made it. Years ago. I have always like fairies and things like that. So this dress was made with that kind of stuff in mind." 

Britney walked slowly around her and admired the work. It was pale pink, long. It pooled into shimmering material on the floor. The sleeves were long and flowing. They gave the appearance of wings when she raised her arms. 

"God Lil, it's awesome." 

Lily smiled. "Thanks." 

"Where is your bouquet?" 

"I am not carrying one. I am carrying this." She pulled out a long box. Britney opened and picked up what was inside. 

"Lily this is so cool." 

"That I had made special yesterday." 

Lily grabbed the wand-like object from Britney's hands. She held it in her arms like they it was roses. It was silver with lots of lace and strings of beads and sequins hanging from the top all the way down to the floor. It had glitter all over it. The top had a ball that was translucent and picked up the light around it.

"Girl, JC is not going to know what him." Britney could see Lily in some enchanted land. 

"Tonight, you get to be a faerie princess." 

"I just hope my prince will agree with it." 

Before Britney could say anything, Justin yelled for her. 

"BRIT?!?! I can't find my tie." 

Britney rolled her eyes. "He probably left it the car. I will be right back. I gotta get my dress anyhow." 

Britney walked past Justin and he smiled. 

"Oh don't give me that look Timberlake. I am only doing this because of Lily. Otherwise you would so be on your own." 

Justin patted her on the butt. "Yea right. You just love me." 

"Whatever." 

Justin walked into the room where Lily was. He wanted to talk to her alone for a second. SO, sending Britney down to get his tie had a two- fold purpose. 

"You look wonderful, Lily." 

She tuned to see him standing in her doorway. 

"Thanks J." 

"I got a present for you." He handed her a small box. 

"J you didn't have to get me anything." 

"Look. I saw these and thought of you. I was going to give them to you after the wedding because I got something for C too, but then I saw you earlier and and decided that these would be perfect for tonight." 

Lily opened the box and gasped at what she saw. Earrings. They were glass dragonflies. 

"These are perfect J. Thanks so much." She went over to give him a hug. 

"Hey now where are ours?" 

She smiled as the rest of the guys came in. All dressed in their tuxes and looking dapper. They each gave her a hug and sat in various chairs in the study. 

"What time is it?" 

"7:30." 

Lily turned and looked out the window. 

"Lily sweetie. Don't worry. JC will be here. You know how planes are. They are usually late." 

"I know CHris. I know. I am just scared. Once he gets here I will be OK." 

~~~~~~~ 

JC pulled up in front of Lily's house and wondered why there was a bunch of cars in the driveway. He was kind of disappointed because he was hoping that Lily and him could have some alone time. 

He gets out of his car and sees Britney getting a dress out of Justin's car. 

"Brit, hey wait up." 

Britney's eyes got wide and she saw JC coming down the driveway towards her. She did her best to hid the dress behind her. 

"JC your back. Cool." She couldn't think of anything else to say. 

"What's going on?" 

"Going on. Nothing. Why?" 

JC looked at her funny. 

"Your a terrible liar." 

She nodded her head. "Yea I know. Just go up and see Lily. Use the front door ok?" 

Jc just looked at her. "Don't worry it's nothing bad." 

Jc shrugged and headed into the house. He saw a note on the front door. 

"JC. As soon as you arrive please come up to the study. I need to talk to you." 

Jc grabbed the note and put it in his pocket and made his way up the stairs. The study door was closed, so he knocked. 

Lily heard the knock. 

"Who is it?" 

"It's me sweetie." 

Lily sighed and watched as the guys went into the next room through a connecting door. 

"Come in." 

JC walked in the room and stopped dead in his tracks. 

"What the..."


	39. Chapter 39

Lily smiled seeing the expression on JC's face. That in itself was worth it. 

"Lily..you..I...wow!" 

JC couldn't form a coherent sentence if his life depended on it. She was absolutely beautiful. She looked like a goddess. Jc just kept staring at her. 

"Ok JC. Since it seems that your tongue tied. I shall do a little bit of talking." 

She breathed in deep and looked out the window. She turned back to look at JC. She had a huge speech planned. 

"Josh, wanna get married?" After all the hours of planning what to say, she was shocked that came out of her mouth. 

JC blinked. He wasn't sure he heard her right. He walked up to her and looked her in the eye. 

"Do you want to get married?" This time she whispered it. 

JC didn't even answer her. He just leaned down and kissed her. The same dizzying effect that had been there three days before hand was still there. When he pulled back he was smiling. 

"I, I take that as a yes." 

JC nodded. "Whenever you want. I would love nothing more than to be your husband Lily. Truth be know that has been a subconscious desire of mine for a long time." 

She smiled. "Well, then. Would tonight be to soon?" 

JC stepped back and took a second look at Lily. She was wearing a wedding dress. A most unusual and beautiful wedding dress. He looked back into her eyes. He would never be able to say no to her. He didn't even want to try. 

"Yes. Lily. I want to marry you. And the sooner the better." He raised an eyebrow at her. She blushed. 

Before she could answer the door opened and all the guys came running in. Justin had JC's tux in hand. Joey was carrying the shoes. Chris had the tie and Lance had the cane and top hat. 

JC smiled. Then he looked from one guy to the other. He had a huge decision to make. Who was going to be the best man? 

Lily knew what he was thinking. She walked over to him on her way out of the door. "Thank god I have only one girlfriend. My decision was easy." 

JC scowled at her. But he already knew who he was going to pick. 

"Ok here is all your stuff, C. If you need help with the tie holler." The guys all set what they were carrying down and started to leave. 

"Hey J. Can you stay and help?" 

Justin smiled at the guys and turned. "Sure. I would love to." 

He shut the door as the guys left. 

 

~~~~~ 

"HA. You each owe me $50.00. I told you J would be the best man." 

Lance and Joey hand Chris the money. "Thank you. it was a pleasure doing business with ya." 

~~~~~~ 

Justin stood in the doorway watching JC look out at the gardens'. 

"She put a lot into this didn't she J?" 

"Yea she did. She loves you. Are you sure you want to do this right now?" 

JC turned to look at Justin. "More than I have wanted anything in my life." 

Justin knew the answer would be something like that. "Ok then. You gotta get dressed." 

JC smiled. "One more thing. Justin. You want to be my best man?" 

Justin smiled. "I would love to."


	40. Chapter 40

Lily sat down in one of the chairs and sighed. She was so glad the wedding was done. Now they were just waiting for the music to start. She wanted to dance. After the stress of the weekend she needed to dance. 

She looked over the crowd and saw JC standing talking to the DJ. He looked so gorgeous in his tux. With the top hat and walking around with that cane. He looked yummy enough to eat. With that and the looks he had been giving her all evening, her pulse was about as high as it could get and still be safe. 

JC knew she was watching him. He slowly turned and looked her way. He winked and smiled and watched her blush. When he had first seen her in her dress he was unable to speak. Then when she was put in the setting of her gardens she was downright desirable. It took everything in his power not to drag her into the house. 

He walked over to her and sat with her. He grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers. "have I told you how beautiful you are?" 

Lily smiled. "Only a hundred times." 

"Consider it a hundred and one." 

He leaned over the table and gave her a kiss. "I love you Mrs. Chasez." 

Lily started to cry. "Sweetie why are you crying?" 

"I had only dreamed of being Mrs. Chasez. I started feeling like every other red blooded american girl, wanting to be the wife of JC Chasez. I never in my life, even though we have a special relationship, thought that we would actually get married." 

JC wiped a tear off of her cheek. "Baby, deep down I knew that you were the only one I should marry. I am sorry I fought it for so long. Now we can start on a whole new aspect of our relationship and lives. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." 

Lily sniffed once again. 

"Ok Ladies and Gents. It's time to dance. So get on your feet and get moving." 

The first song that was played was I DO . JC looked at Lily. She smiled at him and jumped up. 

"Hey girl, it's our song. If your man here don't mind I am going to snatch you away for it." 

JC smiled. "Go ahead Chris. Just none of those moves from the other day. Do you hear me young lady?" 

LIly smiled and whispered in JC's ear. Whatever she said made JC turn red and grab the nearest drink and guzzle the whole thing down. Chris started to laugh as he pulled Lily to the dance floor. 

~~~~~ 

Two hours later and JC was watching Lily dance with Justin. He had requested a song form the DJ and as soon as it started he was taking his wife and dancing and then vacating the premises. 

He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Bobbie standing above him. 

"Mind if I sit?" 

JC didn't know what to do. He looked at Lily who now noticed that Bobbie was there. She said something to Justin and he looked his way and scowled. 

Lily walked over to them. 

"Bobbie, I was hoping you would show up." She gave her a hug and JC could see Bobbie blink back some tears. 

"Would you guys like something to drink?" 

"No thanks." 

"I will be right back." 

Bobbie watched as Lily made her way to the punch bowl. She turned and sat looking at JC. 

"She don't know why you broke up with me does she?" 

JC shook his head. Bobbie had been one of Lily's closest friends. But after JC broke up with her, she stopped hanging out with her. She had always assumed that Lily knew why. 

"She never would have invited me if she had known." 

Again JC didn't say anything, he just nodded his head. Bobbie sighed. All her anger and hatred towards Lily fled at that moment. She knew deep down that Lily would never have deliberately gotten between her and JC. But she was there none the less. 

She pinned her gaze on JC. "All I am going to say, JC is that I hope you know what you are doing. Just remember me JC. We had some great times. I hope you don't ever hurt her." 

Bobbie got up and walked away. JC still hadn't said a word. Lily came back and looked around her. 

"Where did Bobbie go?" 

"She left. She's gone." 

JC hoped to god that she was. He never NEVER wanted to hurt Lily. He had been down that road before and it was a one street to hell.


	41. Chapter 41

_The woman looked into the pool of water and breathed a sigh of relief._

_"Finally. Everything is going to be ok." She looked to the man across from her. He didn't look so sure._

_"They have done it right? They have accomplished what was needed have they not?"_

_The man looked up to the woman. They had one more gift to bestow upon Joshua and Lily. He hoped it would be the gift that would keep them together. He did not tell the woman that he had looked into the future already. He was not going to tell her that._

_"We have one more gift to give them._

_"One more? Why would they need another?"_

_"Just to be safe."_

_The woman looked at the man. She knew he was not telling her everything. But he was in charge. So she followed his lead in these matters._

_The man and woman both looked into the pool of water. They watched Josh sitting on the edge of the bed. The woman smiled slightly. She moved her hand over the water. It went dark._

_"I think it's time to leave them alone for a while."_

_The man nodded his head in agreement. The gift they would have would make itself known soon. Very soon._

~~~~~ 

Josh had come up stairs soon after Lily had. She had complained that her feet hurt and that as lovely as the dress was, she needed to change. 

He was listening to her take a shower. He wanted to join her but thought that might make her nervous. He stood up and decided he needed a shower too. He got up and went to the guest bathroom at the end of the hall. 

Lily was letting the hot water run down her body. The stress of the weekend. The dancing. They had all taken a toll on her body. She washed her hair and conditioned it. She turned the shower head to massage and let it hit her back. 

She grabbed a washcloth and started to wash her body. She used her vanilla body wash. She stopped when she got to her stomach. She was used to the scars that zigzagged their way across her upper torso. She had never given them a second thought until now. 

She blinked back tears. She had never worn low rise jeans or short cute little tops because she didn't want people to see them. Now she didn't know what to do. 

She told herself to calm down, because Josh already knew about them. He already saw them. But, she was unconvinced. They were ugly. She didn't want Josh to push her away. 

Suddenly the shower was not as great as it had been at first. She got out of the shower and slowly dried herself off. She looked at herself in the mirror. Josh was perfect. In every way. She, now realized, was not. She let the tears fall as she finished drying off and combing her hair. She decided to let it stay down. It had been up all day and her head was starting to hurt. 

She stood there with the towel wrapped around her for a few more minutes. She sighed and grabbed the shorts and tank-top she was going to wear. She was not a lacy Fredrick's Of Hollywood type girl. She got dressed and then sat on the toilet for a few more minutes. 

She dreaded going out there. What had been an exciting day was turning into something scary. 

~~~~ 

Josh took his place on the edge of the bed again. He thought Lily would be done by the time he had gotten back. She was still in her bathroom. 

'What is taking her so long?' he asked himself. He knew she was nervous. Heck he was nervous too. He knew this was bound to be different. Different than anything he had ever experienced before. 

He closed his eyes and laid back on the bed with his feet on the floor. Then he sat up straight as a thought hit him. Lily didn't want him to see her. The scars. he had forgotten about the scars. He sighed and willed Lily to come to him. 

Lily was still sitting on the toilet when she felt Josh waiting for her. Wanting her to come to him. She stood up and breathed deeply. She opened the door slowly and stepped out. 

Josh's breath got caught in his throat. She looked beautiful. Lily couldn't help think the same thing about Josh. he was wearing black silk pajama bottoms and that was it. 

She stopped just outside the bathroom door and leaned against the wall. Josh looked at her and smiled. He knew she was stalling. 

"Lily come here sweetie." 

He held out his hand and she walked slowly towards him. When she reached him he put his arms around her and laid the side of his face against her stomach. She smiled down at his head and ran her fingers through his hair. 

They stood that way for a few minutes. He wanted Lily to be comfortable. He loved her to much to rush her.


	42. Chapter 42

After a few minutes. Josh raised his head and looked up at Lily. She looked down into his eyes and he smiled. He lifted her shirt just slightly and she grabbed his hands. 

"Josh.." 

He looked up to see tears falling from her eyes. 

"Trust me Lily. I would never hurt you." 

They looked at each other, their blue eyes darkening to a shade of blue no one had ever seen before. Josh lifted up her shirt and kissed each scar slowly and gently. He whispered against her skin. 

"You are absolutely beautiful." 

She started to cry even harder then and got down on her knees in front of him. 

"Thank you Josh." 

Josh blinked back tears as he wiped them off of her face. 

"Nothing could be as beautiful to me as you are right this second. If I could take them away I would. But they are a part of you. They helped make you into who you are today." 

Lily pulled her to him and kissed him. Any control that each had fled as soon as their lips touched, Josh kissed her jaw and made his way down to her neck. He felt her pulse jump at the touch of his lips. This made him smile against her skin. 

The pulled back and looked at each other again. 

"I think this might kill us." 

Lily giggled. Actually giggled which made Josh laugh. They put their foreheads together both breathing rapidly, filled with need and want. 

Josh stood up and sat Lily down on edge of the bed where he had been. 

"I want to do this right Lily." 

Lily just looked at him. "It felt right to me." 

He smiled at her and ran his hand down her cheek. 

"Yea, I know." He leaned down and kissed her making her even more dizzy than she already was. She watched him as he walked around the room and lit all her candles. She smiled. He turned off the bedroom light and stood back in front of her. 

He bent down and picked her up. He laid her gently down on the bed and looked down at her. Lily's eyes were as huge as saucers. 

Josh blinked back tears as he looked at Lily. His wife. The woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with. All of sudden everything in his life made sense. If he lost everything else in this world, but Lily was always there, he would be a happy man. 

He reached a shaking hand and pushed her hair behind her ear. "I love you so much Lily. More than I ever thought possible." 

She smiled up at him. This was the man she had been in love with since she was fourteen. This was the one who broke her heart, but then made everything right. Everything was right in the world when they were together. She knew it shouldn't but her whole life and happiness depended on him. If he was happy she was happy. She loved him so much and so deep she she could not see her life without him. 

"I love you to Josh. I...was born to love you. 

He leaned down on the bed next to her and kissed her. He had a lot to make up for. He wanted to make sure that she knew he was there for good. He was not going to make the same mistakes he had made over the past few years. 

He would start by giving her a night she would never forget.


	43. Chapter 43

Lily slowly opened her eyes to the light that was coming in her window. She smiled as she thought back to the events of the night. Being with Josh was..was well nothing less than amazing. It was better than anything she had imagined or dreamed. Which said a lot because her dreams could set a city on fire. 

She rolled over a little so that she could sit up and watch Josh sleeping. She raised herself up on her elbow and looked down at him. He was so beautiful. She reached down and pushed the hair out of his face. She wasn't to sure at first if she was going to like the long hair once he started growing it out. But, when it got to where he wanted it she realized it was a good choice. He was downright sexy with it like it was. 

"Like what you see?" 

His voice scared the crap out of her. He opened one eye to look up at her. She smiled at him. 

"No. I love what I see." 

He didn't even answer her. he just pulled her down and kissed her. She pulled back to catch her breath and smiled down at him. 

"Well, I guess the kissing thing is never going to change." 

Josh smiled. "I guess we had better get used to it." 

Lily rolled onto her back and stretched. Her muscles ached. She needed to let the hot water take care of her. 

"I am going in to take a shower." 

Josh pouted at her. But the look in his eyes told a different story. 

"Josh sweetie. You forget. I am not used to nights like that." 

Josh immediately sat up. 

"Did I hurt you?" 

She laughed. "No. But I am a little sore all over. I mean...hello." 

Josh smiled then. He intended to go slow and easy, but once things got going well it just didn't go that way. There was to much want. To much need. 

"I'm sorry." 

Lily leaned down and kissed him. 

"I'm not." 

She turned and walked into the bathroom. Josh just sat there in the bed watching her go. He laid his back against the bed and sighed. He had known that being with Lily was going to be different. He just hadn't known how different. It was like they were one person. 

Their hearts literally beat as one. They shared the same breaths. He had never in his life felt like he did when he was making love to Lily. It was like she was the other part of him. When they were together they were a whole person. 

He smiled. Yes. He was never going to let her out of his sight. 

~~~~ 

Lily was in the shower humming a song. Letting the hot water soothe her aching back. And legs. And arms. And muscles she didn't even know you used. 

After about ten minutes she got out of the shower and started to dry off. She wiped the mirror down and smiled at her reflection. She was happy. Truly happy. 'I love you Joshua Scott Chasez.' She though to herself. 

"I love you too Lily Ann Chasez." 

Lily whipped around. She didn't say it out loud. Did she? No she was sure she didn't. Then how could Josh know she said it? She shook her head. She must have said it out loud. 

Josh was standing up getting ready to take his shower. He pulled his pajama bottoms up and stood and looked at the room around him. 'God, Lily, I hope you know how much I love you.' He said to himself. 

"I do Josh. I know you love me." 

He turned around and looked at her funny. He hadn't said it out loud. He knew he didn't. 

"Why are you looking at me funny Josh? 

"Because. I didn't say anything to you." 

"Yes you did. You said 'God Lily, I hope you know how much I love you.'" 

Josh nodded his head up and down. 

"Yea Lily, I THOUGHT that. I didn't say it." 

Lily's eyes got wide. 

"Josh something weird is going on. I didn't say I love you Joshua Scott Chasez out loud either." 

Lily and Josh sat down on the edge of the bed. Just staring at the walls. 

'Lily?' 

"Yea Josh?" She looked at him to see what he wanted. 

He didn't say it. He thought it. 

'Josh?' 

"Lily?" 

They both looked at each other and held each others hand. 

"OH MY GOD!" 

"Lily, I think..I think.." He didn't want to say it. It was to bazaar. Even for their relationship. 

"We can read each other thoughts Josh." 

'I know.' Josh thought and looked at Lily. 

"Wow" Was all that Lily could say.


	44. Chapter 44

After sitting there trying to process what was going on Lily jumped up. 

"I think I am going to go make some breakfast. I'm starving." 

Josh smiled at her. He suddenly realized he was hungry too. 

"Just wait for me to get showered and we can go out." 

Lily smiled and shook her head. 

"Josh, I know we can go out. But I want to make you breakfast. I want to have a normal married life. Well, normal as can be. Soon you are going to be busy again. I mean look you guys are only taking eight months off. That is like January. That leaves only five months. I want to enjoy it." 

Josh blinked back tears. He had never really thought about a "normal" life. For the last seven years or so it had been anything but normal. 

"I want to give that to you Josh. Something normal for a little while. I want to cook, clean, do laundry. The whole nine yards. It's want to do for you. You only get to be Josh for a little while. Soon JC will have to make an appearance." 

She smiled at him and reached her hand out and put it on his cheek. "I love you Josh. Let me love you the way I have wanted since you went to the Mickey Mouse Club." 

Josh didn't know what to say. 

"OK. But you also have to let me do things for you. There is so much I can give you. So much I can show you. Don't make me not do those things. That is who I am. Not all of who I am. But a good part. Joshua and JC are the same person. When I want to spend money on you let me. When I want to take you out let me." 

Lily nodded her head. "Deal." She bent down and kissed him. 

"I must be the luckiest girl in the world." 

"Why is that?" 

She smiled. "Because your mine. All of you. Everything that makes up JC is mine. Whatever you say, Josh is who you really are. JC is something you become for the world at large. JC is the one the hurt me so bad. YOU are not JC. You are Josh. My Josh." 

He just looked at her. No wonder she didn't like who was when he was JC. She was right JC was the one that hurt her. When he truly forgot who he was, when all he was, was JC he had almost killed her. 

"I promise Lily. That I will never never let my life be overrun like that again. I will never lose sight of the fact that I am Josh first. JC second." 

"I know. I know you would never hurt me again. Now let me go make some breakfast." 

She gave him a quick kiss and went out the door. 

Josh stood up and took his turn in the shower trying to keep his mind clear because he didn't know what he might think. 

~~~~~~ 

 

Lily smiled as she beat the eggs for french toast. She could hear everything that Josh was thinking. Even with him trying not to think anything. She decided to try something. 

'Josh, don't worry. I already know how you think.' 

Upstairs Josh stopped getting dressed. He heard plain as day and she was downstairs. He swallowed. 

"What the heck." He said out loud. It couldn't kill them. 

'Yea I know you know, but this is still weird.' 

Lily smiled. They could have a whole conversation and not even be in the same room. This could be a whole lot of fun. 

'Just get down here. Breakfast is almost done.' 

"Keep your shirt on. I'm down here already." 

Lily turned and smiled. 

"Well," she said as she set a plate of french toast with strawberries in front of Josh, "this could be very interesting." 

Josh nodded his head. 

"Yea I know. Is there like some sort of book on this? I mean we have always had a connection but this... this is completely different." 

Lily sat down with her plate. "I don't know. I guess we just see what happens. Maybe we were meant to be together. People say that all the time, but with us. We were born on the same day. It killed us to be separated even for a few hours. When we look back on things, everything pointed to us being like this. Like we are now." 

Josh looked at her across the table. "True. I mean when we did things against what seemed right for us, our lives were miserable." 

Lily raised an eyebrow. 'Yea right.' 

Josh smiled at her. "Lily. I never wanted to admit that things were bad because I chose wrong. Even when the guys kept saying you should be with me, I told them they were nuts. When I ignored you for all those years. It hurt. To be honest when I found out you were dating Corey I got so sick for two weeks. I felt like a part of me had been ripped out. Even then I didn't admit to why. Lily honey. My life was miserable without you." 

Lily took another bite of food. "You know I got sick for two weeks after I found out about Trisha." 

Josh and Lily looked at each other over their finished food. For the first time, the phrase, no words needed to be spoken, meant just that. They didn't have to say a word to know what the other one thought.


	45. Chapter 45

February 2003 

Lily put in a CD of some songs that Josh had sang for her to take her mind off of what was going on. 

She looked at her watch. "God, only one minute has gone by." 

She resumed pacing back and forth. Six months ago when her and Josh had gotten married the whole mind reading thing, shook them. But over the past couple of months they figured out how to use it. They now didn't "hear" every little thing each other thought. They learned to block each other out when needed. 

Now she needed it. She didn't want Josh to know anything until she was sure. She looked at her watch. "Three minutes." She walked into the bathroom and and looked at the test. It was blue. Positive. She was going to have a baby. She sat down on the toilet and cried. She was happy. Happier than she had ever been in her life. She was going to have a baby with Josh. 

~~~~~~ 

"JC..will you pay attention please?" 

Josh snapped his head up. He had been trying to "talk" to Lily all day but she wasn't responding. The only times that happened were when there was some sort of surprise planned. 

"Oh Sorry Lance." 

Lance, Chris, Justin and Joey all looked at JC. He had been really different since he and Lily had gotten married. it wasn't bad, just different. 

"What's up with you C? Things ok with you and Lily?" 

Josh smiled. His old nicknames. JC. C. He thought he would miss them over the last nine months but he didn't. Now he had to get used to them over again. 

"Yea things are great. Couldn't be better." That was the complete truth. He still hadn't told Justin about the mind reading thing. 

The other guys looked at each other. Something was up. 

"What gives C? Come on. Spill. Something is up." 

Josh smiled at Chris. None of the other guys knew about the stuff with Lily and him. He never told them. He didn't want to now. It was to long of a story. 

"Really guys. Everything is fine. It's just taking a little getting used to being back in all of this. I had a pretty normal life there for a few months. I kinda liked it." 

Josh had been the only one to slow down. The other guys envied him that. Even though all the guys were satisfied with how there independent stuff went. Josh was the only who relaxed. 

The meeting with Johnny was supposed to have started twenty minutes ago. But he wasn't there yet. 

"I'm hungry. Anyone want to go to go grab something to eat with me?" 

Lance, and Chris stand up. "I'm coming." "Yup. Me too." 

Joey looked at JC and Justin. "You guys?" 

JC shook his head. "No. I will wait here. Bring me something back." 

"Same here guys." 

The three guys go from the room leaving Justin and Josh alone for the first time in a couple of months. 

"C, how is Lily?" 

Josh looked at Justin. Justin screwed up big time a month ago. Britney dumped his sorry ass because she caught him with another girl. The first place that Britney had gone to was over to see Lily. There Britney confessed that this wasn't the first time. She had caught him cheating a month before Lily and Josh had gotten married but they worked it out. 

Lily never wanted to speak to or hear the name Justin ever again. She stuck to it. Justin had tried to call her but she wouldn't talk to him. Josh didn't even dare try to let Justin come over for a visit. 

"She is good. Still hates you..but other than that..great." 

Justin scowled at JC. Lily hating him was not a laughing matter. Besides hurting Britney, which was worse than anything, Lily being disappointed in him was the second worse thing he has had to endure. 

"Do you think she will ever talk to me?" 

JC shrugged. "Will Britney ever talk to you again?" 

Justin shook his head. "I believe the phrase she used was 'I will forgive you when hell freezes over, Chris matures and a solo project of yours goes number one.' " 

JC cringed. "Ouch." 

Justin nodded. "Yea big ouch." 

Justin put his head on the table and closed his eyes. Britney had been there for him when he put his album out the year before. It did good. Nothing like any of NSYNC's stuff but still good. But for her to say what she had, hurt him. Not that he didn't deserve it. He screwed up. Big time and Britney was never going to forgive. Meaning, Lily the other girl in his life that he trusted and cared for was never going to talk to him again. 

"Well C. Just take a lesson from me. NEVER take for granted what you have. I did and look what happened. You and Lily have something special. You always have. Don't blow it. It will make your life a living hell." 

JC didn't know what to say. His and Lily's relationship was different. Really different. 

"J. There is something I have to tell you." 

Justin's eyes got huge. JC smiled. 

"It's nothing bad. Don't worry. It's just really unbelievable."


	46. Chapter 46

"OK. Shoot. What up?" 

JC breathed in deep and regaled Justin with what happened the day after the wedding. Justin just looked at him. 

"Are you kidding me?" 

JC shook his head. "Nope. It's the honest to god's truth." 

Justin would not have believed him if it hadn't been for everything that went on with Lily the past few years. 

"So you guys had like a....a...an orgasmic mind meld or something like that?" 

JC laughed at the terminology, but had to agree that's what it was. 

"I guess you would call it that." 

"Hot damn C. You just better hold on to her for life." 

"I plan on it J. Don't worry." 

~~~~~~~~~ 

JC walked into the house and noticed that it was quiet. He stopped to see if he could get figure out where Lily was. But nothing. He put his bag down next to the desk in the living room and saw the note. 

_Baby, come upstairs as soon as you get in._

He smiled. A surprise. He knew it already, but sometimes he wondered what would happen if something was wrong with one or the other. He made his way up the stairs and stopped in front of their bedroom door. 

His pulse immediately quickened. It never failed to do that. At the mere thought of Lily his temp would go up and he would lose all concentration. He opened the door and saw her sitting cross-legged on the bed waiting for him. 

She put her hand up and he walked over and sat in front of her. She kissed him and smiled up at him. 

"I love you." 

Josh smiled. "I love you too." 

JC tried to read her but it was impossible. 

"Ya know you got this blocking thing down to a science. I need to work on that a little more." 

"Well, your mind is off in a hundred different directions. It might be harder to control like that. I just usually think about one thing. You." 

Josh smiled. "So what's up?" 

Lily smiled and let her mind do the talking. 

'Not much daddy.' 

Josh's eyes got huge. "Daddy? You mean..you..I...we are going to have a baby?" 

Lily sighed. He was happy about it. She was worried. She didn't really know where a baby would fit in to his life right now. 

Josh placed his hand on her cheek. "Lil, how could you think that I would not be happy having a baby. Especially with you? I think that's what was meant for us. This is what we are about. Family. Our family." 

Lily blinked as tears fell from her eyes. "I love you so much." 

Josh leaned in and kissed her. "I love you too."


	47. Chapter 47

May 2003 

"Lily. You Ok in there?" 

Silence. Britney didn't know what to do. JC had called her just before they left to go on tour. He wanted her to stay with Lily for a little bit because she was so sick. Britney felt so bad for her best friend. 

Lily opened the door. She just couldn't get morning sickness. She had to get 24/7 sickness. For the last two months she hadn't been able to do a thing. 

"Sure. I'm fine." She slowly walked over to her bed. She closed her eyes to enjoy the ten minutes of non sickness that followed the puking. 

'Lily sweetie..' 

Lily smiled. Josh had finally got the whole mind thing down. 

'Josh. I'm ok. Really. Just got sick again.' 

'I will call you in a couple of hours when we land ok?' 

'Ok. I am going to sleep for a little now. Love you.' 

'Love you too.' 

When Lily opened her eyes she saw Britney looking at her strangely. 

"What?" 

"Well, I don't know. You just looked. Oh never mind. You were probably thinking to yourself." 

Lily smiled and closed her eyes again. Maybe she should tell Britney about what was going on with her and Josh. She sighed. Josh. He was being so good to her. She was so sick. She barely got out of bed. He had hired someone to clean the house for her. Spent all the time he could with her, which was hard because they had been recording their new album. 

"Hey Brit, can you put in the guys new CD for me." 

Britney didn't really want to. She didn't want to hear Justin's voice. But for Lily she would. She put it in and pushed play. The first song was a ballad with Justin singing lead. It had Gone feel about it, but a little edgier. 

Britney sat down on the bed next to Lily. She sniffed. She didn't want Lily to know she was crying. She felt Lily take her hand. 

"Brit. Do you still love him?" 

"More than anything." 

"You know, he hasn't even been on one date since you broke up with him. Not one date in five months." 

Britney looked down at her. 

"How do you know? You don't talk to him." 

"Josh. He likes to drop hints from time to time. Make sure I know what the ass is doing. He still loves you Brit." 

Britney was silent for a second. 

"Lil, would you be able to forgive JC if he cheated on you?" 

Lily opened her eyes and looked up at the tear filled ones of Britney. She sat up. Lily knew that if Josh cheated, he would be breaking a lot more than just her heart. Forgiveness would mean something totally different for them. It was time to tell Britney, the whole truth about her's and Josh's relationship. 

"Brit, I got something to tell you. You might not believe me at first but trust me. I am telling you the truth." 

Britney looked at Lily. "O..O..OK." 

~~~~~~~ 

Josh slammed down on the bed and yawned. He forgot how much work touring was. Especially overseas. They hadn't been here since '98. The fans were still crazy. 

He was about to fall asleep when there was knock on his door. He slowly walked over and opened to see Justin standing in the doorway. 

"Did you get the memo yet?" 

JC raised and eyebrow. "What memo?" 

"This one." Justin handed him the sheet of paper. Justin knew JC would not like what it said. Justin watched JC's face as he read it. 

"What? God no. Why now?" 

J-14 wanted to do a retro style photo shoot of the guys in Sweden. Kinda like some of the pics that were taken in the early days. This would have been fine. Except Bobbie would be overseeing the project. 

JC did not need that. He knew she would hound him the whole time she was here. 

"Can't I get out of it?" 

Justin laughed. "I don't think so buddy. Just have Lily call every hour on the hour. It will let Bobbie know you mean business and piss the crap right out of her." 

JC laughed. He rolled his head around. His neck was killing him and he was exhausted. 

"You look rough C. What's wrong?" 

"I'm just really tired. I hadn't been getting much sleep before we left because Lil has been so sick. Which has lead to whole bunch of other stuff. Like for the last three weeks we haven't talked at all. Our mind thing isn't working so well either because she is so sick she is sleeping most of the time." 

Justin followed JC over to the bed. JC sat on the edge of the bed and Justin in the chair across from him. 

"Did Brit get there ok?" 

JC nodded his head. "Yea. I was just going to call and see how everything was." 

Justin looked down at his hands. 

"Mind if I call? Neither of them would be expecting it and then maybe I can get Brit to talk to me?" 

JC shrugged. He didn't think Lily was up anyways so there was no point in him calling. 

"Sure go ahead." JC laid back on the bed a fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. 

~~~~~ 

Britney stared at Lily. "Are you serious?" 

Lily moved her head up and down. "I know it's sounds strange and unbelievable, but it's the truth." 

Britney just looked at Lily trying to process what she had just found out. She believed Lily. She had no reason not to. 

"Wow, Lil. That is something. " 

Lily smiled. "It took a little getting used to, but now it comes in really handy sometimes. Although right now, it's hard because I am so sick. I feel bad. Josh and I haven't talked, in any form, in almost a month. I have been so tired and so sick. I really miss him. And now he is going to be gone for almost two months." 

Britney smiled. "I know it's hard. Trust me." 

She was going to say something else when the phone rang. She looked at Lily who now could barely keep her eyes open. 

"I'll get it. You go back to sleep." 

Lily laid her head down. "If it's Josh wake me ok?" 

"Ok sweetie." 

Britney turned and ran to the phone in the hall. 

"Chasez residence." 

"Brit?" 

Britney inhaled sharply. 

"Justin." 

"I was calling..." 

"Lily is fine Justin. She just fell asleep." 

She heard him sigh. 

"No Brit. I called to talk to you." 

Britney blinked back tears. "What?" 

Justin sighed heavily. 

"I miss you Brit. I miss you a lot." 

Britney knew that this conversation meant a turning point for her and Justin. She either forgave him or told him to move on, moving on herself. She glanced in the mirror above the phone and looked at her reflection. 

She knew what she had to do. 

~~~~~ 

Justin was pacing around the hotel room that he shared with JC. Everything that he wanted hinged on what Britney was going to say. He swallowed hard and went to sit on the floor with his back against the door. 

"I miss you to J. More than you know." 

Justin smiled and looked up to the sky and thanked god for this second chance. He blinked back tears as he resumed the conversation with the girl he loved more than anything. 

"Brit...."


	48. Chapter 48

JULY 2003 

JC was sitting at the bar in the hotel that they were staying at. He felt like a jerk. He was being a jerk. The stress of being overseas and not being with Lily was getting to him. He still didn't get to talk to her much. She was still sick. They both thought that after five months, she would be over the sickness part of the pregnancy. But she wasn't and the doctor said she might be sick the whole time. 

He grabbed his glass and downed another shot. In the two months that he had been gone, the longest conversation he had with Lily was about twenty minutes and that was three weeks before hand. So what does he do? She was feeling good when she called earlier and wanted to talk, so he said he had to go and get some stuff done and he couldn't talk. 

JC put his head on the bar. She had been so great about it. He picked his head back up. 

"Can I have another one please?" 

The bartender filled up his shot glass and walked away. JC drank that one down just as fast as the first. What made it worse was that he was ignoring her again. Blocking her. He had gotten really good about it. 

"Another one please." 

The bartender came back over. He knew what a man looking to forget his life for awhile looked like. This man looked like that. 

~~~~~~ 

Bobbie was furious. JC had not returned her calls and it was his turn to have his pictures taken. They had successfully avoided each other the last week. Now they had to see each other. 

She had talked to Justin and found out that there was a little trouble in paradise. Seems that the perfect couple were not so perfect after all. 

Bobbie liked Lily, she really did, but she had made the mistake of getting in the way of what Bobbie wanted. Not it was time to get that back. 

Gleaning form Joey that JC has had a little bit of a drinking issue, she figured she would find him in the bar. And if he was there he could be drunk, or well on his way. 

This could be the opportunity that she was looking for. 

~~~~~~~~~ 

Lily was actually feeling good that night. In fact after she had tried to call Josh, her and Britney decided to go out and do a little shopping. For the baby of course. Now she was sitting in the gazebo in the backyard, enjoying the summer night. 

"Hey Lil, you still feeling pretty good?" 

Lily smiled and turned to look at Britney walking up to her with some juice. 

"Yes, just a little tired. Maybe, today is the first day of not being sick. That would be a great thing." 

Britney smiled. "I'm so glad. Why don't you go take a nap, and then I want to take you out for dinner if your still feeling good." 

Lily smiled. "Sounds like a plan." 

She started to stand up and then laughed. "Ok, I am only five months and I am already as big as a house." 

She stood up again and made her way into the house. She laid down on the bed. 

'Josh' 

She tried to "talk" to him. She got nothing. She was starting to get worried because it seemed that Josh was ignoring her again. 

She shook her head. She had to stop being paranoid. He was probably busy and didn't want any distractions. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. 

~~~~~~ 

JC smiled at Bobbie as he took the drink that she offered him. 

"God, I missed this Bobbie, I missed this a lot." 

JC was thinking that it had been a long time since he had a conversation with Bobbie. He looked at her and she was smiling. 'She really does have a pretty smile.' 

"I missed this to C. I miss a whole bunch of other stuff to JC. I miss our whole life together." 

JC was just staring at her. He was so drunk now that he couldn't remember much of anything. Except how pretty Bobbie was. 

His head shot around. He thought he heard someone call him. He shook his head and grabbed the drink that Bobbie offered him again. 

After about an hour, JC decided it was time to head to bed. He could barely stand. 

"Want some help, C?" 

Bobbie smiled at him. JC smiled back. 

"What do you have in mind?" 

Bobbie put her arm around him and walked out of the bar. 

~~~~~ 

Britney looked in on Lily. She was still sound asleep so she let her be. She looked at her watch. It was 1AM where the guys were, but she really wanted to talk to Justin. Things with them were going good. Slow, but good. Justin was trying his best to prove himself to her and she loved it. And loved him. 

She sat down on a chair on the porch and dialed his number. She laughed when he answered the phone. He had been asleep. 

~~~~~~~~ 

Justin grabbed his cell and yelled. 

"WHAT?!?!" 

He heard a chuckle on the other end and immediately woke up. 

"Grouchy grouchy." 

"Not any more. To what do I owe this pleasure?" 

Justin couldn't help the smile. He had been the one to always call her, this was a big step on her part. He loved it. It meant things were getting better. 

"I missed you." 

Justin closed his eyes and sighed. 

"I missed you too." 

~~~~~~~~~ 

JC fell as Bobbie unlocked the door. She fell on top of him and they both started to laugh. He rolled from under her and looked down at her. She smiled up at him and he slowly moved into kiss her. 

Bobbie didn't hesitate for a second. This had been what she planned form the beginning and she wasn't going to blow it. 

JC had no idea what he was doing. His head was starting to hurt but he was trying to ignore it. He pulled back and looked at Bobbie again. Something was wrong, he just couldn't pinpoint what. 

"Don't think JC." 

Bobbie pulled him up and lead him to the bed. JC followed stumbling part of the way. They fell on the bed together and resumed what had been happening on the floor. The ache in JC's head was steadily getting worse, but he figured it was from everything he drank. 

JC moved so that he was on top of Bobbie when a searing pain went through his head and he heard a scream. 

~~~~~ 

Lily bolted upright out of bed and screamed in pain. She had been dreaming. JC was with Bobbie. But it had seemed so real. The pain in her head was real and she was starting to get sick. 

"Brit..HELP?!?!" 

Britney had heard the scream and was already up the stairs phone still in hand. 

"Brit, honey what's going on?" 

"I don't know J. It's Lily. You had better try to find JC." 

"OK. I will call back in a few." 

Britney hung up the phone and went into Lily's room. She saw her on the bed in hysterics. 

"Lily, you have to calm down. The baby." 

At that Lily looked at Britney. Britney suddenly got very scared. Something was seriously wrong with Lily. 

"Talk to me Lily." 

Lily looked blankly at Britney. 

"Josh...he..he..." 

Britney shook her head, "Josh what honey? What did Josh do?" 

"He cheated on me." 

Britney looked at Lily. 

"I think you had a bad dream Lily. JC would never do that. he loves you to much." 

Lily nodded her head up and down. "Bobbie. He is with Bobbie." 

Britney didn't want to believe it. 

"Let me use the phone Brit, I can prove it."


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49 

JC sobered up quickly after the scream. Then he looked around and saw what was happening. 

"Oh my god, what have I done?" 

Bobbie sat up. "Nothing JC. Nothing. Just some kissing and stuff. Calm down." 

She stood up and fixed her shirt. JC could not even begin to explain to Bobbie what was going on. His head was killing him. 

'Lily.' 

Another blinding pain and nothing. He tried again. Same thing. Nothing. Lily knew what was going on and now something was seriously wrong with them. 

He looked at Bobbie. "You had better...." 

Before he could finish the phone rang. He leapt onto the bed and grabbed it. 

"Hello?" 

"Josh?" 

He closed his eyes and prayed to god that he was wrong. That she didn't know and that it was just his conscience kicking in. 

"Is Bobbie with you Josh?" 

He laid down on the bed and saw Bobbie standing at the foot. He saw his shirt on the floor and he felt the pain in his head. He knew. She "saw" everything.

"Lily, I'm.." 

He never got to finish. Lily hung up on him. 

~~~~~~~ 

Britney watched as Lily hung up the phone. "Lily?" 

Lily looked over at Britney and before she could say anything, she passed out. Britney screamed and made sure she was ok. Then she called 911. After that she called Justin back. 

~~~~ 

Justin was just about to knock on JC's door when his phone rang. 

"Hello?" 

Justin heard Britney crying hysterically. 

"Brit, honey. Calm down. Tell me what happened." 

"Lily passed out. JC....Bobbie..." She couldn't finish because she started crying again. 

"You have got to be kidding. No way. She must be dreaming." 

"No Justin. She was telling the truth." 

Justin turned and knocked on JC's door. 

"Who is it?" 

"It's me bro. I need to talk to you." 

~~~~ 

JC looked from the door to Bobbie back to the door again. HE sighed heavily. He deserved whatever he got. He still couldn't believe he almost slept with her. He started to cry as he opened the door. 

Justin was standing with the phone next to his ear when it opened. He walked in and saw Bobbie by the bed, picking up her shoes and purse. He looked for Bobbie to JC. Then he saw nothing but red. 

"JC you son of a bitch." He turned toward him and knocked him clean on his back. JC didn't even try to block the punch. 

~~~~~ 

Bobbie made her way out and closed the door. She leaned against it and let a tear fall from her eyes. When Justin had mentioned that JC and Lily were having issues, he never told her that Lily was pregnant. This would never have happened if she had known. She walked away swearing to never ever interfere again. 

 

~~~~~ 

JC sat up and put his back against the wall. He looked up at a furious Justin who was still holding the phone. 

"Is someone on that J?" 

Justin breathed in deep and looked at the phone in his hand. 

"Brit, I have to call you back later." 

"Justin what is going on?" 

Justin was trying his best to control his anger. 

"JC. JC is what's going on. I am doing my best to not kill him right now." 

"Justin. Listen. I have to take Lily to the hospital. The ambulance will be here any second. She passed out so I just want to make sure she is ok." 

That was Justin's undoing. He threw the phone on the floor and jumped on JC. He punched right in the face again. JC pushed him off and stood up. He wiped blood off of his nose. 

"JUSTIN stop." 

Justin was so mad at the moment that nothing was going to stop him. He went at him again and this time JC fought him back. 

Chris and Lance heard what was going on and ran into the room. 

"HOLY..." 

Chris and Lance ran over and grabbed Justin. Chris was in front of Justin and Lance was holding back JC. 

"What in the hell is going on here?" 

Justin was breathing hard. "Ask JC." 

Chris and Lance look at JC. JC did not want vocalize what he had done. The memory was bad enough. 

"Justin, what did Britney say?" 

"Lily is going to the hospital. She passed out and Britney was worried." 

JC's head began to swim and the world tilted. In seconds he was crumpled on the floor. Passed out as well.


	50. Chapter 50

Lance immediately called the oversees version of 911. Chris put a cool cloth on JC's nose which was still bleeding. He turned to look at Justin who still hadn't calmed down. 

"Would you mind explaining what happened here and why Lily is in the hospital." 

Justin sat on the edge of the bed. He looked down at his hands and then back up at Chris and Lance. He knew exactly why both Lily and JC had passed out. JC broke the connection with his actions that night. 

"JC was here. With Bobbie. And Lily found out." 

Lance and Chris could not be more stunned. "Come again?" 

"Chris, JC WAS CHEATING ON LILY WITH BOBBIE!!!!!" 

Justin yelled the last part because he was so pissed. Lance looked down at JC and thought that JC should be grateful that Justin hadn't killed him. 

~~~~ 

Lily woke up on the way to the hospital. Her head still hurt and she really wanted to die. She started thinking about what happened and her heart rate went up. 

"Miss, you have to calm down." 

Lily looked at the paramedic sitting next to her. Then she put her hand on her stomach. She was going to be having Josh's baby in four months. She couldn't believe he could cheat on her. Not with what they had. She turned her head to the side and began to cry. 

~~~~~ 

JC slowly came to on the way to the hospital. He looked up at the paramedic who was checking his vital signs. 

"Well, Mr.Chasez you are going to have one big headache tomorrow, with the broken nose and hangover." 

JC didn't even reply. He just faced the side of the ambulance and tried to come to grips with the fact that he was going to cheat on Lily. He ruined whatever they had. He let the tears fall from his eyes and clung to thought that maybe, just maybe the little baby that they had made would somehow make things right. 

~~~~~ 

Justin refused to go to the hospital. Lance offered to go and he called Joey. They were going to meet at there. Justin was still sitting on the edge of the bed where he was after JC passed out. Only now, Chris was sitting with him. 

"J, man you gonna be ok?" 

Justin looked at him. "How..why. Damn." 

He couldn't even finish a coherent sentence but Chris knew what he was asking. 

"I have no clue J. I mean I thought C was above this kind of crap." 

Justin snorted. If Chris only knew. There was so much more at stake here than just JC and Lily's relationship. This could very well mean life or death.


	51. Chapter 51

One Week Later 

JC was told that he was suffering from extreme fatigue. He knew better than that, but he was not going to try and explain that to the doctors. He had been in the hospital for almost a week and it was killing him. He needed to get home. To see Lily. Make sure her and the baby were ok. 

Justin had flown back the night that JC went into the hospital. He wanted to be as far away from him as possible. Everyone agreed that it was time to pack it up and head home. It was a month early but they needed to get back. 

Lance said he wait until JC was out to fly back with him. Everyone else had been home for a few days and no one was telling him about Lily. Just that she was OK. Now, here he was on the flight home and scared to death of what he might find waiting for him. 

"You ok, C?" 

JC never opened his eyes. "Yea Lance, I'm fine. The sooner I get home and work things out with Lil, the happier I will be." 

~~~~ 

Lily was laying on the porch swing in the back of Britney's house. JC was coming home and she did not want to see him. At least not yet. The doctors told her that she was not getting enough nutrients in her system because she was so sick, and that the baby was taking any she had from her which caused her to pass out. She let them think what they wanted. But she knew the truth. 

It was done. She felt nothing with JC anymore. She tried. But nothing. It was like running into a brick wall. JC destroyed them and she was not ever going to forget it. Oh, she would try her best to forgive, for the baby's sake, but things would never be the same for them. 

Every time she closed her eyes she saw what she saw that night. JC laying above Bobbie with that look in his eyes. The look that used to be for her. 

She stood up suddenly. She had to stop thinking about it. It was driving her insane and she needed to be 100% for the baby. 

"Thirsty?" 

She turned to see Justin and Britney come out with some juice. 

"Yea kinda." She smiled at them, but Justin noticed that the smile never reached her eyes. Lily was empty inside. And he hated JC for that. 

Justin handed her a glass and sat down on the swing. Lily sat down with him and they rocked slowly. Britney sat in a chair right across from them. Without warning Lily started crying. 

Justin pulled her head down onto his shoulder and put his hand on her head. 

"Just cry baby girl. Things will get better." Britney and Justin made eye contact and both started crying themselves. Lily was not doing good at all. 

~~~ 

JC and Lance's plane landed and they made a mad dash for their cars which Chris and Joey had brought over earlier in the day. 

JC never said a word to Lance as he got in his car a drove like a maniac to his house and Lance totally understood that. He just wondered if JC really thought that Lily would have stuck around? 

JC got to the house in a short amount of time. He was only hoping that Lily would be there waiting for him. When he walked in he knew she wasn't there. But he knew that even before they left Sweden. He was pretty sure he knew where she was and he was not going to be able to see her with Justin over there. 

He put his bags down and walked outside to the gazebo and laid down in the hammock. The hammock that had so many memories. He had dreamed about bringing their little girl or boy out there and rocking them to sleep. He closed his eyes at the last memory he had in it. 

It was about two weeks before he left to go overseas. Lily was actually feeling good, so they sat out there for hours just talking and holding each other. 

Now he let the tears fall freely for the first time in a week. 'Lily, I really do love you.' 

~~~~ 

Britney and Justin were starting to get worried. Lily never talked and she ate only when someone reminded her of the baby. It was almost like if it wasn't for that she would slowly let herself die. 

"Justin, maybe we should let JC come over. He has called everyday for a month." 

Justin looked at Britney like she lost her mind. 

"No. Never. I don't want him in my house." 

Britney started to chuckle. Justin scowled. 

"I don't think it's funny Brit." 

"J. You sound just like Lily when she found out YOU cheated on ME. Let JC come over. Maybe seeing him will get some sort of reaction out of her. The state she is in now cannot be good for her or the baby." 

Justin's scowl deepened. He did sound like Lily did and he wanted to make things right with Britney too. 

"Brit, it's just..it's different with these two. Something is seriously wrong. I just don't want something bad to happen if he comes over here and she is not emotionally prepared for it." 

Britney thought for a second. Lily had explained months ago that if JC cheated on her it would be very different and a lot more at stake than when Justin cheated on her. 

"I know, J. But I think we had better give it a try." 

Justin sighed knowing full well that Britney was right. That and this whole thing was dragging up memories of his stupidity and he didn't like. 

"Your right. Why don't you call him up and talk to him. I am still way to mad to talk to him." 

Britney gave him a look that called him a hypocrite. Justin smiled. 

"I know Brit, I know. But you woulda thought he would have learned from my asinine ways." 

He leaned over and kissed her. "I am sorry about everything. I love you, you know that right?" 

Britney smiled and put her hand on his cheek. "I know. I love you too J."


	52. Chapter 52

JC was sitting on the porch watching the sun do down. He was crying and couldn't stop. He missed Lily to much to go on with life. He lived for the daily updates of how she was. She was now seven months along and that meant that he hadn't laid eyes on her in two months. Justin would not let him anywhere near his place. 

From what Britney had told him Lily was not doing so well. She wouldn't eat or anything. His thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey C. It's me." 

JC sighed. 

"Hey Brit, what's wrong?" 

"Nothing. It's just that J and I..we..It's time for you to come see Lily." 

JC sucked in his breath. He couldn't believe that Justin was letting him come to the house. 

"When?" 

"Whenever you want JC." 

"I will be over in ten minutes." 

He hung up the phone, ran into the house, grabbed his keys and was out the door before you could blink an eye. 

~~~~~ 

"Well, when is he coming?" 

Britney rolled her eyes. "When do you think Justin?" 

"Right now?" 

Britney nodded her head. 

"I think maybe we should warn her first Brit. I mean I don't want her to go into another shock thingy." 

"Maybe your right." 

They walk out to the porch where Lily is sitting. Where she has sat everyday for two months. Justin kneeled down in front of her. 

"Lily sweetie." 

Lily smiled at him and out her hand on his head. 

"I don't like the buzz cut J. I miss the curls." 

She blinked back some tears. Justin smiled at her and grabbed her hands. 

"You have to listen to me Lily. This is important." 

Lily just looked at him and blinked. 

"JC is coming over to see you. He will be here in a couple of minutes." 

Nothing. She just continued to stare at him. Britney left as soon as she heard a car pull up in the driveway. Justin sighed as realized that maybe even seeing JC in person would do nothing to help her. He stood up and walked back into the house to talk to his best friend for the first time in two months. 

 

~~~~ 

 

Lily had stood up and walked to the end of the porch. She felt lost. Like something was missing and she didn't know what. She looked up at the sky. What had Justin told her? She hadn't been able to focus for a couple months now. 

She was leaning on the railing when a sudden awareness pricked the back of her neck and a fleeting thought of Josh crossed her mind. She hadn't any feelings like that since that night. She slowly turned around and saw him standing in the doorway. 

He walked up to her and stopped a few inches from her. She blinked. She put her hand up to his cheek and touched his face, He laid his hand on top of hers and blinked back tears. 

"Josh.." was all she said before she crumpled in his arms. JC screamed for Justin and laid her softly as he could on the floor of the porch. 

He pushed the hair out her eyes and kissed her forehead. 

"Lily sweetie. Wake up. Come on. Don't do this. You need to be awake. You have a baby to take care of." 

He held her hand as Justin called 911. JC looked down into the ashen face of the girl he loved more than life it'self and made a decision. One that would change everything. Hopefully for the better. 

~~~~~~ 

On the way to the hospital, Justin called the rest of the guys. JC rode in the ambulance with Lily. The whole time talking about things that they had shared in the past. Everything that made him love her. When they got there they wheeled her into the emergency room and made JC wait outside. 

He was pacing back and forth when the rest of the guys came in. Justin walked up to him and hugged him. 

"Excuse me, which one of you is Mr. Chasez?" 

"That would be me." 

"Well then sir, can you come with me please. You are needed in the OR." 

As JC walked with the doctor he asked what the problem was. 

"Your wife has gone into labor and we can't stop it." 

JC stopped dead in his tracks. 

"That can't be..she is not due for another two months?" 

The doctor turned to look at him. 

"Mr. Chasez, I know this seems scary, but the chances of a premature birth this early surviving are considerably better than they were a few years ago. Right now we are more worried about your wife. She has been seriously undernourished for someone who is pregnant. He blood pressure is high and her brain waves seem erratic. We don't know what the problem is, but this is not good for someone in labor. It seems to me that your wife has been under a lot of stress lately and that's not good." 

The doctor turned and kept walking. He grabbed some scrubs and gave them to JC. JC's world seemed to tilt when the doctor told him that they were worried about Lily making through the delivery. And it was all his fault. 

~~~~~~~~ 

_The woman and the man were standing before the council to explain their choice. And explain why they had failed in the task they were to perform._

_"Sir. We ask that you give us some more time. In our contact with the human race we have found them to be imperfect people. They make mistakes. We truly feel that these two will get passed this and all will be well."_

_The woman took a deep breath and waited for the councils decision._

_"Ok. You have one more week. But you are not give them anymore help. They need to figure this out and come back to each other on their own. Forgiveness is a great part of love. This we have learned also from our observations of the human race. This to is missing from many of them. If Joshua and Lily can find it in themselves to fix this, then we will not touch the human race. But is they should fail. Love will be gone forever."_

_The man in the middle of the council waved his hand and the woman and man were back by the pool of water. Neither spoke as he moved his hand to see what was happening with Joshua and Lily._


	53. Chapter 53

JC had come out once to tell everyone how Lily was doing and then he went back into the OR. He had been in there for over three hours. 

He was standing next to Lily holding her hand and encouraging her. She had lost a lot of blood and they were no closer to delivery than they had been three hours ago. He was starting to get scared. If she died he could not, would not be able to go on. She was apart of him. His other half. Just as he knew he was the other half of her. 

Even though this one mistake he made took a huge toll on that, he firmly believed it could be fixed. But Lily had to live first. 

He leaned down by her ear and started to whisper different things to encourage her. Nothing seemed to help. Then he got an idea. His decision. 

"Lily, I am quitting NSYNC. I am going to quit. I don't need it anymore. Truthfully, after I thought about it, I realized I never needed it. I needed you and only you. I love you Lily Ann..so you have got to get through this so you can scream and torture me over what I did. Then we can get back to us and only us." 

JC laid his forehead on her forehead and sighed. 

"Whatever you are saying to her, it's working. Her pulse started to go back up and she is trying to push now." 

JC smiled and kissed her. "That's a girl Lily. I bet you can't wait to yell at me can you? Well I can't wait either. I am looking forward to it in fact." 

~~~~~~~ 

Lily was starting to here some voices through the fog in her brain. It was Josh. He was telling her that he was going to quit NSYNC. 

'Josh, you don't have to do that.' 

She had to fight. She had to push. She had to live. To tell Josh that she still loved him. But, he was right about one thing. 

'I am going to kick your ass Joshua Scott Chasez' 

JC lifted his head up and looked down at Lily. He heard her. In his head. 

'Well than Lily you had better hurry up and have our baby so you can do that.' 

"Her pressure is normal and I think she is waking up sir." 

The doctor got next to JC and checked her out. 

"Sir, the baby, it's coming." 

JC grabbed Lily's hand again. 

'Come on baby you can do it.' 

'I know I can Josh. As long as your with me I can do anything.' 

Lily slowly opened her eyes and saw JC looking down at her. 

"Josh.." 

JC started to cry. The they heard their baby cry. JC leaned down and kissed Lily. The nurse brought the baby over. 

"You can hold her for a could of minutes. She is very small, so she needs to be taken care of right away." 

Lily nodded her head. She held onto the baby and kissed it's forehead. 

"Hi my sweet little angel. Say hi to your new mommy and daddy." 

JC sat down next to Lily and looked into the face of his newborn child. 

"Hiya pumpkin. Boy do we have a lot to tell you about." 

Lily and Josh look at each other and smile. 

"Ok Mr. and Mrs. Chasez we have to get the baby taken care of now. Have you decided on a name yet?" 

Lily and JC look at each other and without blinking an eye at the same time say... 

"Britney Justina." 

The nurse looked a little puzzled but wrote the name down and left the room. They still hadn't broken eye contact. 

"Don't think this means that you are getting away with anything. We still have a lot of work ahead of us to get back what we had." 

JC blinked back tears. He pushed a lock of hair from out of her eyes. 

"I know I do. That's why I am quitting. It has to be just us. You. Me. And the baby. I know I will never be able to make up for what I did. But, I am truly sorry and I love you more than anything in this world." 

"I know you are. And I still love you too." 

He leaned down and kissed her. "You had better rest and I think I should go tell the guys about their new niece." 

"Ok. Tell everyone I said hi." 

"I will." He kissed her one more time and went out to see the guys. 

~~~~~~~ 

When they saw JC come out of the OR all ten people in the waiting area stood up. 

"It's a girl." 

The yells and hollers got them yelled at by the floor nurse and they all followed JC down to the nursery. 

"I want Britney and Justin to go first." 

Justin grabs Britney's hand they walk over to the glass wall where she was being taken care of. They saw her in a little incubator type thing and Britney started to cry. 

"She will be ok. She was eight weeks early but they are almost certain that she will be fine." 

Britney turned back around when she heard him gasp. Then she saw what he had. Her name. Britney Justina. They turned around and gave JC a hug. 

They turned when they heard knocking on the window. The nurse wanted to know if JC wanted to hold the baby. SO he went in and sat down on a rocking chair that was next to her. He had to be careful because she was hooked up to so many machines. 

He started rocking her back a forth. "Well, B. I think that's what I'll call you. B. Your aunt Britney is Brit to everyone. So this won't confuse anyone when you are older." 

He smiled as she grabbed onto his finger with her tiny little hand. "You know me and your mommy have gone through a lot of stuff, but I think everything is going to be ok. I made a huge mistake, but I have you to thank for helping me get your mommy back. I think that you were born for a reason. I think you were born so that we could love you. And so that your mommy and I could love each other again." 

Lily was sleeping when she was awoken by the voice in her head. It was JC and he was talking to little Britney. She couldn't agree more with what he told her. 

'I think your right Josh. But I think all three of us were born for a purpose. We were all born to love and be loved. I love you Josh.' 

JC closed his eyes and let the tears fall again. This time from happiness. He kissed little Britney of the forehead and rocked her to sleep. 

~~~~~   
_The woman sighed. The man sighed. They had finished their task. The world would not be harmed in anyway and Joshua and Lily, even though they still had a small fight in front of them, would be ok. And Happy._

_The man waved his hand over the pool of water and it went black. He and the woman disappeared almost immediately. For the council was eager to give them their next assignment._


End file.
